180 SCIUEIDiE. 



whole under surface; ears small, clad with a tuft of long fine hair 

 surrounding them ; feet, especially the hind-feet, with brushes of hair 

 impending the claws, and densely hairy. 



Length of one, head and body 8 inches ; tail 8. 



The long-haired flying squirrel has been found in Sikim, Bhotan, and 

 the hill regions of Assam. It is more rare than alboniyer at Darjeeling, 

 and is found from 3,000 to nearly G,000 feet. 



167. Sciuropterus fasco-capillus. 



Jerdon apud Blyth, J. A. S. XVI. 8G7.— Blyth, Cat. 300. 



The Small Travancore Flying Squirrel. 



Descr. — Upper parts a rufescent fulvous or dark-brownish isabelline 

 hue, the hairs being fuscous with a fulvous tip; head darker and 

 fuscous; lower parts rufous-white, as are the cheeks and under lip; 

 margin of the membrane rufo-fulvous ; tail concolorous, or nearly so, 

 with back above, with a whitish tip, and the lower surface blackish- 

 brown. Ears small, almost nude. Tail bushy, the hair above one inch 

 long at base, hardly distichous ; moustaches long and black ; fur long, 

 porrect, very fine. 



Length of one, head and body 7-|- inches ; tail 6| with the haii-. 



I had a skin of this flying squirrel sent to me from Travancore, which 

 I forwarded to Mr. Blyth. He subsequently had other specimens sent 

 him by the Bev. INIr. Baker, also from the same country. Nothing is 

 recorded of its particular habitat. At one time ]\Ir. Blyth was inclined 

 to think it identical with a Ceylon Sciuropterus^ which has since been 

 named as distinct, S. Layardi, Kelaart, apud Blyth. 



Sciuropterus spadiceus, Blyth, is a small species from Arrakan, and 

 S. Pliayre'i, Blyth, inhabits Pegu and Tenasserim ; whilst aS'. sagitta, L. ; 

 S. HorsfieldiijW aterhon&e, and^S'. (jeniharhis, Horsfield, inhabit INIalayana. 



One Sciuropterus is found in the North of Europe and Asia, the skin 

 of which is occasionally brought to Peshawur ; and thei'e are others in 

 North America. 



The genus Taviias, or ground-squirrel, already alluded to, possesses 

 cheek-pouches and burrows in the giound. It thus appears to form a 

 sort of link to the Marmots. The species are found in the northern 

 regions of both continents. 



