742 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



The extreme lengths of five skulls, from the supra-occipitals to the end 

 of the nasals, vary from 55 mm. to 59 mm. ; and the breadths across the 

 zygomatic arches from 33 mm. to 35 mm. 



This is the common Flying Squirrel of Simla. Its habits resemble in many 

 respects those of P. fulvinus, but it is far more active, and is generally the 

 first to issue forth in the evenings in quest of food. It lives in pairs in the 

 holes of trees and roofs of buildings, and breeds about September — October, 

 producing 3 or 4 young at a birth. 



When feeding, it is silent and stealthy in its movements, and is con- 

 sequently difficult to detect. It seldom stays long in one spot, but passes 

 on rapidly by leaps or flights, from one tree to another. Some of the 

 flights taken by this animal are immense, and remind one more of a bird 

 gliding swiftly through the air than an animal. In one case I measured 

 the distance, and found that the Squirrel had covered exactly 80 yards ! 



All the above mentioned specimens correspond exactly with Blanford's 

 description of this species, but I have in my collection a skin of one of 

 these Squirrels — an adult $ which is somewhat different in colouration 

 from S. fimhriatus, and which may, perhaps, belong to another species ? 

 The upper parts, especially near the hind-neck, have a tinge of rufous- 

 brown, and the tail is reddish-broion, darker on the tip. 



The following are its measurements : 



Head and body 241 mm ; tail 241 mm ; hindfoot 45 mm ; ear 40 mm. 



Skull measicrements: 



Extreme length, from supra-occipital to end of nasals 60 mm.; zygo- 

 matic breadth 33 mm. 



This specimen is available for examination. It is the only one of its 

 kind that I have ever seen in Simla. It was procured on the 18th June 

 last, along with two specimens of S . fimbriatus from which it does not 

 appear to differ in anyway in its habits. 



34. FuNAMBXJLXJs PENNANTi, Wroughtou. — The common Five-striped 



Squirrel. 



(Blanford No. 25S partim.) 



(Simla Hill States ( outer ranges) = " Karto ") , 



Measurements of an adult J • 



Head and body 140 mm.; tail 102 mm.; hindfoot 38 mm.; ear 19 mm. 



This Squirrel is very common about Kalka. It penetrates the outer 

 hills to about 4,500 feet. 



It lives entirely on seeds, fruits, berries, etc., and I doubt whether it 

 ever destroys the eggs or young of birds, as has been alleged. Its nest is 

 a large bulky structure, composed of rags, " sun, " and other fibrous 

 matters, and is generally placed in the branch of a tree, sometimes 

 between the rafters and beams of godowns and bungalows, and sometimes 

 in holes of walls. It seems to breed at very different times in various 

 parts of its range. Round about Kalka, Mr. Johnstone informs me that 

 it brings forth its young, usually 4 in number, during March and April. 

 In the United Provinces I have found the young in May and June. In 

 Calcutta I noticed several young ones being hawked about for sale in the 

 Market there on the 22nd November, and in the Kanchrapara District, 

 (24 Parganas^, I saw one of these animals carrying building materials to 

 its nest on the 4th December. 



35. Vandeleuria oleracea, Benn. — The Tree Mouse. 

 (Blanford No. 270.) 

 At Kalka, on the 18th January, I found a small colony of three of these 



