358 MR. R. SWINHOE ON THE MAMMALS OF FORMOSA. [DeC. 9, 



identical with the Himalayan. The peculiar black-and-white-fea- 

 thered tips to the ears are strongly marked in all. 



11. Pteromys grandis, n. sp. (Plate XL V.) Chinese, Fei- 

 shoo (Flying Rat). 



This magnificent species appears to be the largest of the group, 

 its nearest allies being P. melanotis of Borneo, and P. albiventris of 

 Nepal, From both these it is at once distinguishable by its long, 

 black, bushy tail, its bright red chestnut upper parts, and its rufescent 

 under parts. Many of the hairs of the upper parts are tipped with 

 black. In the very young, the black obtains more generally, espe- 

 cially about the head, paws, and tail, the latter in the sucking-stage 

 resembling that of a rat ; while the entire uader parts, with the ex- 

 ception of the throat and a soft silky line down the belly, are almost 

 entirely denuded of hair. The length of an adult animal is about 

 2 feet in the body, and 2 feet in the tail ; total, 4 feet. Teeth brown 

 sienna. 



The first specimens of this animal, a fine old female and a young 

 suckling, were brought to me on the 16th March, and my hunter 

 told me the following story of their capture. The camphor-distillers 

 were cutting down a fine old camphor-tree, when they observed a 

 a large nest in its branches. As the tree fell, the nest shook out ; 

 and out sprung two large Flying Squirrels, and made off to an ad- 

 joining tree. The nest was composed of sticks and grass, and about 

 two feet in diameter, with a large hole on one side. It was found to 

 contain one live young one, which my hunter secured. The cries of 

 the young one brought the old female near ; and the woodmen, who 

 always have loaded matchlocks at hand, for fear of attacks from the 

 savages, fired at her, and with five wounds brought her to the ground. 

 The male, seeing the fate of his mate, kept a long way aloof, and 

 would not admit of near approach. The hunters pursued, but it 

 was useless ; the animal sprung and sailed from bough to bough, 

 and finally disappeared in the forest. The body of the female was 

 eaten by the Chinese with much relish ; but as the common classes of 

 the Chinese are not over- dainty in their palate, this would hardly be 

 a criterion for the delicacy of the flesh. The suckling was produced 

 to me out of the sleeve of the man as he told his tale. It squeaked 

 exactly like a guinea-pig, so much so that, until I saw it, I was per- 

 suaded it could be no other than that animal. I had hopes at first 

 of being able to rear it, for it sucked milk readily from a spoon. 

 When handled, it uttered a suppressed moaning noise. It soon pined, 

 and in a few days died, before its eyes were opened. It differs from 

 the adult in having a good deal of black on the upper parts ; the 

 paws are black, instead of brown and red ; and its rat-like tail is 

 of a deep black ; its breast and the central line down its belly is 

 covered with short, silky hair, of a buff colour. Its under legs are 

 very scantily covered with short hair. The wrists round the hind 

 feet are hairy ; and close to those of the fore feet there is a wart-like 

 protuberance, with a few long hairs springing from it. The under 

 membrane is quite naked and greyish. The muzzle and nose present 



