MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 721 



No. XX.— THE LARGE BROWN FLYING-SQUIRREL 

 {PTEROMYS ORAL). 



I have just shot an old male specimen of this animal in the Partabgarh 

 jungles, on the banks of the Kermoi stream, an affluent of the Jakam river, 

 near the Bhil village of Raima.* The spot is about 1,500 feet above sea level. 

 The local people call it a cat with wings (Pank-wala Billi). They say that it is 

 generally only seen at night. This one had been wounded in one hind leg, prob- 

 ably by some predatory animal, and came fluttering down close to our tents at 

 about 8 o'clock in the morning, and then climbed half way up a tree before he 

 «ould be secured. 

 Measurements : — 



Length, including tail 2-9" 



Length, without tail ... ... ... ... ... ... 1-3" 



Greatest width stretched out 2'-0" 



Width between fore-feet ... l'-8" 



Width between hind-feet 1-8" 



Though I know these jungles well, I have never before seen or even heard of 

 their being inhabited by this species or any kind of tree-squirrel. 



A. F. PINHEY, Majob, 

 Resident, Meywar. 

 Camp Ranna (Partabgarh), 

 Uth April, 1904. 



No. XXI —INDIAN YAMS (DIOSCOREA DAiMONA), ROXB. 



Mr. Hooper, under date 15th ultimo, writes in reference to the chemical 

 analysis of Dioscorea dcemona which was quoted in my note at page 366 of the 

 present volume of this Journal :— 



" It is not quite fair to quote an analysis of a tuber containing 65 per cent, of 

 water and compare it with the analysis of one containing 78'3 per cent. I have 

 examined a few samples of yams from your district, and I am analysing the 

 results calculated on the absolutely dry root. In doing this with the two 

 specimens you quote we get — 



Yam. Potato. 



Fat - 1*23 "46 



Protein 



Carbohydrates 



Fibre ... ••- 



Ash ... ••• 



8-91 10-14 



78-94 

 4-06 

 6-86 



} 



100- 100- 



Where there is not such a wide difference in the protein and carbohydrates as 

 is shown in the moist root* 



* Latitude, 24° 12'. 

 Longitude, 74° 33'. 



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