62 



VERTEBRATES I MAMMALS. 



Fig- 57- 



The Rocky Mountain Flying Squirrel, P. alpimis, 

 Rich., has the lateral membrane with the border 

 straight, and the tail longer than- the body exclusive 

 of the head. 



The Columbia River Flying Squirrel, P. oregonensis, 

 Bach., is seven inches long to the tail, which is over six 

 inches, the color yellowish brown above, and dull white 

 beneath. 



The Taguan, P. petaurista, Linn., of the Indian Archi- 

 pelago, is nearly as large as a cat, the male a lively mar- 

 roon above and red beneath ; the female brown above. 



The Genus Cheiromys 

 Aye - Ayes may be men- 

 tioned here, but its true place 

 is doubtful. Some naturalists 

 regard this curious genus as 

 belonging to the Quadrumana, 

 to which it seems related in 

 the structure of its head, and 

 in the opposable thumb of the 

 hind feet. The teeth in gen- 

 eral position are essentially 

 those of a rodent, but the lower 



i nc i sorg are muc h COmprCSSed 



Only one species 



It inhabits Mada- 

 brown color, and 



Aye-Aye, C. madagascarentis, Cuv. 



and extended from before backwards. 

 of this monkey-like rodent is known. 

 gascar, is of the size of a hare, of a 

 burrows in the ground. 



The Genus Tamias Striped Squirrels is charac- 

 terized by ample cheek pouches, tail shorter than the 

 body and not bushy, three to five dark dorsal stripes, 

 and four permanent upper molars. This genus comprises 

 only a few species, two of which are found in Europe and 

 Asia, and the remaining four or five in North America. 



The Chipping, Striped, or Ground Squirrel, or Chip- 



