THE FLYING-SQUIRRELS OF ASIA AND AFRICA 241 



with the latter, flying-squirrels are more strictly nocturnal 

 animals ; and their shrill scream is familiar to all travellers 

 in the wooded districts of the Himalayas, as they are 

 attracted by the light of the camp-fire. 



The smallest members of the group are the pigmy 

 flying-squirrels, typified by Sciuropterus volans of Eastern 

 Europe and Siberia, and represented in North America 

 by the closely allied S. volucella. They are pretty little 

 creatures, with soft velvety fur and enormous staring 

 black eyes. In all the pigmy flying-squirrels the mem- 

 brane connecting the hind-legs and the base of the tail is 

 absent ; but, in compensation, the tail itself is broad, flat, 

 and laterally expanded, so as to form an efficient aid in 

 flight. 



The typical and larger flying-squirrels, formerly known 

 as Pteromys but now called Petaurista, are confined to 

 Europe and Asia, having no transatlantic representative. 

 Unlike that of the pigmy flying-squirrels, the tail of these 

 rodents is cylindrical and comparatively thin, while, as 

 already said, the parachute is fully developed between the 

 hind-limbs. 



In the last and finest representation of all the flying- 

 squirrels the species shown in the accompanying plate 

 the writer has a special personal interest. About the 

 year 1878, when in Srinagar, Kashmir, he purchased 

 the skin of a large flying-squirrel from a chamra-walla 

 (tanner), who stated that it came from Astor or Gilgit, 

 and that he had never previously seen its like. In due 

 course this skin was brought to England, and converted 

 into a perambulator-rug, in which capacity it was in use 

 for several years, on one occasion narrowly escaping 

 complete destruction by the jaws of a favourite pug-dog. 

 At this period, it may be mentioned that the writer was 



16 



