352 ME. STANLEY S. FLO WEE ON THE [Apr. 3, 



It is not strictly nocturnal, for it is frequently seen abroad during 

 the day. It is particularly fond of the Durian, the fruit of Durio 

 zibethinus. The Flying-Squirrel has this partiality in common 

 with various other animals, as monkeys, Pteropi and Paradoxuri ; 

 nay, the Malays assert, that they have to watch this, theu 

 favourite fruit, against tigers." 



Horsfield (Cat. Mamm. Mus. East India Co. 1851, p. 162) 

 records a specimen, under the name of Pteromys melanotis, from 

 Siam, collected by Dr. G. Finkyson ; W. L. Sclater (Cat. Mamm. 

 Indian Mus. part ii. 1891, p. 37) also mentions this specimen, and 

 others from Malacca procured by the Eev. F. Lindstedt in 1845. 



O. Thomas (P. Z. S. 1886, p. 73) records three specimens 

 collected by Davison, from Klang (Salangor), Malacca, and Gunang 

 Pulai (Johore) respectively, and says " these specimens all belong 

 to the so-called species Pt. melanotis." 



H. J. Kelsall (J. S. B. E. A. S. no. 26, Jan. 1894), in a list of 

 Mammals from Johore, says presumably of this species: — "Pteromys 

 oral, Tick. Eed Flying- Squirrel. One specimen obtained at 

 Simpai, on the Batu Pahat Sembrong." 



Eidley (Nat. Science, vol. vi. 1895, p. 95) says :—" The red 

 Flying-Squirrel, Pteromys nitidus, is still common in Singapore, 

 inhabiting the thicker jungles. It remains quite quiet during the 

 day, but at dusk begins to move about. It climbs with some 

 clumsiness to a high point on a tree, and then dives off to the 

 next, up which it climbs again, and again dives off, and so travels 

 to its feeding ground. It appears to be very fond of coconuts, 

 and will attack any that are near the jungles which it inhabits." 



Hanitsch (Eep*. Eaffles Libr. & Mus. 1897, p. 10) records 

 "Pteromys petaurista ( = oraZ)" from Selangor, and "Pteromys 

 nitidus " from Singapore. 



In the Museum at Taiping I saw, in May 1898, six large Flying- 

 Squirrels stuffed ; two of these are very dark ; Mr. "Wray has 

 labelled them P. nitidus, Malay name " Kubin," they are from 

 Larut. The remaining specimens are very red ; two are from Tapah, 

 Batang Padang, and one from Larut : they are labelled P. petaurista, 

 " The Taguan," Malay name " Grabah." 



In the Museum at Kuala Lampor I saw, in June 1898, two 

 stuffed specimens of T. petaurista, both obtained in Selangor ; and 

 Mr. A. L. Butler told me there was also a black Pteromys found 

 in that neighbourhood, which he considered to be possibly a race 

 of P. oral. 



I have only once seen a Pteromys wild ; it was apparently of 

 this species, on Penang Hill, about 1800 feet elevation, on the 

 11th March, 1899. Just after suuset it passed near me, swooping 

 down hill over the trees (which at this point were not high) ; we 

 had a good view of it for about 100 yards, when it passed out of 

 sight downhill ; its parachute was kept quite steady, and its tail 

 stiff straight out behind. 



Distribution. Siam, Formosa, Malay Peninsula (apparently 

 generally distributed), Sumatra, Java, Borneo. 



