125 
une. lin. 
Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caude basin.... 14 0 
COUDR — \. «cies Seiten a atahd sdcilegatn 4 8 6 
BPA a as aot hor TAateh for cea sels ahclisis loves 
tarsi digitorumque ........ 1.440. 2.6 
Hab. Fernando Po. 
Upon a cursory inspection this animal would be regarded as a 
species of Pteromys, having most of the general external characters 
of the members of that group ; there are, however, some points of di- 
stinction between the present animal and the large Flying Squirrels, 
which are important ; of these the most conspicuous are the extra- 
ordinary scales which cover the under side of the basal third of the 
tail : these scales are of a pale horn-colour, sixteen in number in one 
of two specimens before me, and fifteen in the other, and arranged 
in two longitudinal series : each scale is narrow at the base and broad 
at the opposite extremity, and in fact nearly of a triangular form ; 
but as the scales on one side alternate with those of the other, no 
interstices are left; they not only cover the under surface of the tail, 
but overlap the sides; in this overlapping of the scale a ridge is 
formed, the extremity of which is produced into an angle; the 
point of the angle is directed backwards. The portion of the tail 
which is thus protected beneath is well clothed with fur above, but 
the hairs are not long, and the apical portion (which is cylindri- 
cal) is much less bushy than in the large Flying Squirrels consti- 
tuting the genus Pteromys. ‘The hinder feet have the heel clothed 
with fur, but the outer margin beneath is naked, and not densely 
clothed, as in Pteromys. ‘The lateral flying membrane extends from 
the wrist to the ankle, and is supported moreover by a long cartilage 
in front, as in Pteromys; but this cartilage has its origin at the 
elbow-joint, and not at the wrist, as in the genus just mentioned. 
The interfemoral membrane extends to the heel, and is moreover at- 
tached to the sides of the tail, and when expanded forms almost a 
straight line. 
The ears are large, much longer than broad, and naked, excepting 
at the base on the outer side, where they are covered with long fur, 
like that on the body; the naked portion has a slight flesh-like tint, 
but is nearly white, as are also (Mr. Fraser’s notes state) the naked 
portions of the feet and the tip of the muzzle. The hairs of the 
moustaches are very numerous, and although not very thick, are 
unusually long. The fur is long and remarkably soft, and the hairs 
of which it is composed are all of one kind; that is, there are no 
longer interspersed stronger hairs, such as we usually find in the 
fur of the Rodents; the fur on the upper parts is sooty black, but, 
excepting on the membranes, most of the hairs are rather broadly 
tipped with yellowish rust-colour: on the upper surface of the head 
the colour is replaced by grey; on the under parts of the body the 
fur is dirty white; the throat is blackish, and the under side of the 
throat is tinted with sooty grey. The under side of the membranes 
is sparingly clothed with hairs; towards the margin the hairs are 
more numerous, and of a blackish tint. } 
