ANIMALS OF TUT. 



THE PLYING SQUIR11EL. 



Mr RAY was justly of opinion, that the Flying 

 Squirrel might more properly be said to be of 

 tlu* rat kind, because its fur is shorter than in 

 other squirrels, and its colours also more nearly 

 approach the former. However, as mankind 

 have been content to class it among the squir- 

 rels, it is scarcely worth making a new distinc- 

 tion in its favour. This little animal, which is 

 frequently brought over to England, is less than a 

 common squirrel, and bigger than a field mouse. 

 Its skin is very soft, and elegantly adorned with a 

 dark fur in some places, and light grey in others. 

 It has large prominent black and very sparkling 

 eyes, small ears, and very sharp teeth, with which 

 it gnaws any thing quickly. When it does not 

 leap, its tail, which is pretty enough, lies close to 

 its back ; but when it takes its spring, the tail is 

 moved backwards and forwards from side to side. 

 It is said to partake somewhat of the nature of 

 the squirrel, of the rat, and of the dormouse ; 

 but that in which it is distinguished from all 

 other animals, is its peculiar conformation for 

 taking those leaps that almost look like flying. 

 It is indeed amazing to see it, at one bound, dart 

 above a hundred yards from one tree to another. 

 They are assisted in this spring by a very pecu- 

 liar formation of the skin that extends from the 

 fore-feet to the hinder ; so that when the animal 

 stretches its fore-legs forward, and its hind-legs 



