MIl^CELLANEOUS NOTES. 349 



of Central India would not be developed to a like extent in a species which 

 dwells on the temperate slopes of the Himalayas. But, at times, if dis- 

 turbed in its sleep, the limbs may be widely stretched apart and the 

 parachute extended, yet this is only a temporary movement associated 

 with a sensation of fatigue and one which we see illustrated more frequently 

 and more fully in many of the higher mammals. In the attitude of sleep 

 the parachute is almost always concealed except for a wavy white line at 

 one side of the curled body formed of an intermediate downwardly directed 

 convexity prolonged at each extremity into a similarly directed concavity. 

 The thick bushy tail is coiled over the neck or across the head and this 

 serves to protect the eyes from the glare of the light and to provide a warm 

 covering to the head. 



The attitude adopted when feeding is pretty and characteristic. It sits 

 with arched body erect upon the hind quarters and grasps the morsel of 

 food in the fore paws, though it will occasionally take it with the mouth 

 directly from the ground. Sometimes one paw is used for this purpose and 

 more uncommonly the food is seized in the hind paws and brought suffici- 

 ently far forward in them to reach the mouth. The hind limbs are wide 

 apart ; the head is bent down ; the ears are moderately elevated ; the taul 

 is directed forwards beneath the body or is often curled upwards over the 

 head ; the nostrils vibrate ; the vibrissse delicately quiver , the teeth work 

 rapidly ; the mouth is in continual motion and the animal utters a gentle 

 lapping sound. The food is clutched iu the flexed fingers but is not held 

 there firmly ; it is undergoing a gradual rotation in the paws so that the 

 animal is continually biting at a fresh surface and nibbling first one part, 

 then another part until the whole is consumed. 



All these attitudes and movements on the ground and in the tree, the 

 objects for which they are performed and the emotions with which they are 

 peculiarly connected, cannot but excite an intense interest in the mind of 

 any who observe them, but it all sinks to nothing in comparison with that 

 sense of wonder which we experience when we see this nimble creature 

 stretch wide its limbs, extend its parachute and glide swiftly through 

 the air. 



Through the air (Fig. 3). 



The movement in the air is the most beautiful to observe but the most 

 diflicult to investigate. It is purely a gliding or volplane motion. The 

 parachute in no way furthers the advance of the animal by any muscular 

 activity ; it firstly sustains the body in the air and allows the primary leap 

 to continue to its full efi"ect, and secondly, owing to the pressure of the 

 underlying air on the widely extended membrane when the squirrel is 

 descending obliquely, the animal tends not only to be sustained but to 

 be thrust forward by a horizontal force in the direction in which it is 

 moving. Before the primary leap takes place the animal looks steadfastly 

 at the object towards which it is about to spring ; the head is often thrust 

 forwards and backwards as though undecided at the practicability of the 

 movement ; the body may at the same time be repeatedly elevated and de- 

 pressed ; the eyes are wide and staring ; the animal moves well forwards on 

 to the front of its support and with a sudden jerking motion forcibly stra- 

 ightens the hind limbs and propels the body swiftly into the air. The limbs 

 are immediately extended ; those in front are stretched out at right angles to 

 the body while the hind limbs, though widely separated, are somewhat pro- 

 longed behind. The outstretched membrane is tense and firm, yet it 

 inclines to arch upwards before the pressure of the underlying air and this 

 gives to the upper surface of the animal the appearance of a uniform con- 

 vexity. The claws project in readiness to grasp their foothold at the 

 termination of the movement, the head is directed downwards and the tail 



