PTEROMYS GENIBARBIS. 



Sagitta is mentioned as a native of Java, by Linnasus, in the 12th Edition of 

 the Systema Naturae, on the authority of Nordgren ; and a detailed description of it 

 is given after the specific character : I was not so fortunate as to procure it. By 

 M. Cuvier it is enumerated as an inhabitant of the Eastern Archipelago, generally. 

 Professor G. Fischer has arranged the Sciurus Sagitta, as a synonym of the Petaurus 

 Petaurista (Sciurus P.) : Pennant also has formed the opinion that they were the 

 same animal, but Boddeert admits its existence as a distinct species, and Pallas 

 enumerates, with his usual precision, the characters which distinguish it from Sciurus 

 Petaurista. From these various opinions among the most eminent naturalists, it 

 appears that its history and description require further illustration. 



To distinguish the Sciurus Sagitta, as far as it is yet known, at once, from the 

 Pteromys genibarbis, it is sufficient to state, that it is described as having a 

 ferruginous brown colour, that the flying-membrane extends from the head to the 

 anterior extremities, and that it is only one palm in length. The appearance which 

 is expressed by the specific name of Sagitta, is not observed in the Pteromys 

 genibarbis ; and several other distinctions will appear in the following description. 



Tlie specific name of our animal is derived fi-om a numerous series of bristles 

 or vibrissEe, disposed on the cheeks, in a radiated manner ; and which, as far as I 

 have been able to determine, distinguishes it from all other species. The Pteromys 

 genibarbis has very nearly the size of the common European Squirrel : it measures 

 full eight inches from the nose to the root of the tail. Its general appearance is that 

 of the Flying-Squirrels of northern climates. The head is short, ovate, laterally 

 compressed, and attenuated to a short, obtuse muzzle, which projects beyond the 

 lower jaw. The nose is fleshy, thick, elevated, and the nostrils are pierced in 

 part from the extremity, and in part from the sides. The emargination of the upper 

 lip is scarcely perceptible, and the lower lip is short and regularly defined. The 

 rictus, or gape of the mouth, is small ; and the head passes gradually, and imper- 

 ceptibly to the body, by a very short neck. A peculiar character is afibrded to our 

 animal, by the vibrissse, or beard of long, stiff bristles on the sides of the head, 

 which are disposed successively above the upper lip, on the cheeks, and on the 

 extremity of the lobes of the ears. The vibrissse of the first series are nvimerous, 

 longer than the head, spreading, and of a dark colour : the second series, from the 

 existence of Avhich the specific name has been derived, covers the cheeks in a radiated 

 manner, from the posterior canthus of the eye, towards the jaws ; it consists of above 

 twenty separate bristles, closely applied to the sides of the head, about an inch in 

 length in the middle, and gradually decreasing at the upper and lower margin : the 

 third series arises from the base of the posterior portion of the lobe of the ear ; it 



