MAMMAL SURVEY OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. 107 



(37) Melursus uksinus, Shaw. 

 The Sloth Bear. 



(Synonymy in No. 11.) 

 1 , Nimiaghat. 



{See also Report No. 13.) 



(38) Pbtaurista oral, Tick. 



The Central Indian Flying Squirrel. 



(Synonymy in No. '2.) 

 $1, $3, Luia. 



In the Berars Report three specimens of a Fetan.rista were provisionally 

 recorded as oral, pending the receipt of topotypes for comparison. The 

 type locality of oral is Chaibassa, so that we may accept these specimens as 

 topotypes. On careful comparison with the Berars specimen I can find no 

 ditference. 



" Flying Squirrels occur sparingly in the heavy jungles of the Santara 

 Range, Singbhum. 



P. oral is normally nocturnal and spends the day in hollow trees, but 

 during the rains I find it will move about and feed during the day. I 

 think the explanation of this is that it takes advantage of dry intervals 

 whenever they occur. At this season it changes its regular haunts and 

 sleeps in the forks of trees, or among foliage. Its coat harmonises to such a 

 remarkable degree with its surroundings as to make it hard to see. It sleeps 

 coiled up with the head hidden, and the tail encircling the body, and the 

 parachute is partly extended." — O.A.O. 



(39) Ratufa indica centralis, Ryl. 



The Central Indian Giant Squirrel. 



(Synonymy in No. 11.) 



(5 2, 5 1, Sangajata ; cj" 6, 5 4, Luia. 



These specimens agree quite closely with Miss Ryley's type from Hoshan- 

 gabad. 



"' This handsome squirrel is gregarious, and one of the most locally distri- 

 buted animals, I have ever come across. At Luia it inhabits a piece of 

 j'ungle perhaps a mile square, and outside this it is useless to search for it. 

 Near Sangajata the favourite haunts were patches of jungle near the river, 

 and though I passed through much of the Forest here, nowhere else, outside 

 the spots mentioned, did I see the large conspicuous nests made by this 

 species. The call is a loud rattle used principally, I think, when alarmed. 

 This squirrel lives among the most lofty trees, it can take huge leaps, and 

 is equally at home on a smooth trunk or scrambling among the slenderest 

 twigs. I have never seen it lower than about 12 feet from the ground. The 

 Kols say it breeds during the hot weather." — O.A.C. 



(40) Fu]SrAMBI7LtJS palmarum, L. 



The Palm Squirrel, 



(Synonymy in No. 2.) 

 5 1, Pareshnath ; S 1, Singar, Gaya ; c? 1; $ 3, 1, Jagodih ; c?2, 

 5 1, Lohra ; c? 1, $ 3, Gajhundi 



{See also Reports Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9.) 



