TAGUAN. 



161 



and the tail is still deeper or more inclining to 

 black : the breast and all the under parts are yel- 

 lowish white, sometimes inclining to ferruginous. 

 The disposition of the flying-membrane is similar 

 to that of the common flying squirrel : it is ex- 

 tremely thin towards the middle, and gradually 

 thickens as it approaches the limbs and border, 

 where the dark colour of its upper part is con- 

 trasted with that of the white edge or verge. 



The Taguan is a native of India and the In- 

 dian isles, residing in woods, and springing to a 

 vast distance from tree to tree. It is said to be 

 more frequent in Java than in other parts. 



The difference of colour in different specimens, 

 some being dusky above and whitish beneath, 

 others ferruginous above and yellowish beneath, 

 may be owing perhaps to the difference between 

 the male and female. 



It may be added, that a strong general simi- 

 larity takes place between this animal and the 

 Petaurine Opossum (Didelphis Petaurus), which, 

 in all probability, is also a native of many of the 

 Indian isles, as well as of New Holland, and may 

 have been sometimes confounded by travellers 

 with the Taguan. 



v. ii. p. i. 11 



