90 MAMMALIA ORDER V.RODENTIA. 



Zanzibar. The smallest is the equatorial flying-squirrel (^4. pusilliis), in 

 which the length of the head and body is 11 inches, arid that of the tail 

 just over five inches. The second genus (Idiurus) is represented only by a 

 single species from the Cameruns district, which is not larger than a small 

 house-mouse, the length of the head and body being only just over two and 

 a half inches, and that of the tail four inches. Agreeing with the ordinary 

 African flying-squirrels in the general form and mode of support of the para- 

 chute, as well as in the presence of rows of scales 

 on the under surface of the tail, this species 

 is at once distinguished by the short, knob-like 

 nose, and the thinly-haired tail ; the latter ter- 

 minating in a pencil of hairs, and being nearly 

 double the length of the head and body, instead 

 of shorter. In place of being uniformly and 

 thickly covered with fur, the tail is short-haired 

 on its upper surface, with three longitudinal rows 

 of elongated sparse hairs, while beneath it is 

 naked, with three rows of scales near the base. 

 An important difference is also to be found in 

 the structure of the fore-foot, in which the thumb 

 is reduced to a mere knob-like rudiment, while 

 in the hind-foot the first toe is much smaller 



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than the other four, which are of approximately 

 equal length. There are likewise structural 

 differences in the skull, into the consideration of which it will be un- 

 necessary to enter on this occasion. In colour, the fur of the back and 

 upper surface of the parachute is pale whitish-brown, the hairs being 

 blackish-grey at the base ; while on the under surface the general hue 

 is a mixture of yellowish and dark grey, with a tinge of silver-grey on 

 the parachute. 



Writing of the habits of Pel's flying-squirrel (Anomalurus pell} of West 

 Africa, Mr. W. H. Adams observes that " these squirrels come out of their 

 holes in the trees some hours after sunset, returning long before daybreak. 

 They are only to be seen on bright moonlight nights, and, in fact, the natives 

 s:ty they do not come out at all in stormy weather or on very dark nights. 

 They live on berries and fruits, being specially fond of the palm oil-nut, 

 which they take to their nests to peel and eat. They pass from tree to tree 

 with great rapidity, usually choosing to jump from a higher branch to a lower 

 one, and then climbing up the tree to make a fresh start. The temperature 

 on the hills varies considerably. During the time I was there the rainy 

 season, from the middle of April to the middle of June it was never very 

 hot, one night the thermometer going down to 44 deg. on the ground. Of 

 course, in the dry season it is much hotter, but the natives say these animals 

 are much more plentiful in the rains, and that the rainier the season the 

 more they see. They litter twice a year, once about September, the young 

 remaining in the nest for about nine weeks, during which they are fed by 

 the old ones on such food as shoots and kernels ; they do not attempt to 

 jump till the end of that period, extending the length of their jumps with 

 their growth. I do not know the other time of breeding, or whether they 

 have a regular season. The hunters told me that two or three were usually 

 born at one birth, and never more than four." 



This extensive family includes not only ordinary squirrels, but likewise 



