ORDER RODENTIA. 191 



sides, and attached to both the anterior and posterior ex- 

 tremities ; there is an osseous appendage to the hind feet, 

 which furnishes an additional support to this membrane in 

 its destined office of supporting the body in the manner of 

 a parachute, in the extended springs made by the animal 

 from one tree to another, and is analogous to a similar ap- 

 paratus, with which the Galeopitheci are provided; the 

 Flying Squirrels are therefore to the Squirrels proper, what 

 the Galeopitheci are to the Monkeys. 



The Siberian Flying Squir-rel, or Polatouche, the Sciurus 

 Volans of Linnaeus, Schreber, 223, has been confounded with 

 the American species ; but Linnaeus distinguished the for- 

 mer under the specific addition Volans, and the latter under 

 that of Volucella. 



This species is one-third larger than the American, the 

 head is rounder, and the muzzle larger and slenderer, the 

 eyes also are larger and nearer the nose, the tail is shorter, 

 the fore feet are also shorter and the hind feet longer. The 

 colour is whitish-gray on the upper sides, the belly white, 

 with an under down of a brownish tint, the lateral mem- 

 brane is bordered near the body for its whole length by a 

 gray hair band ; the long hairs of the tail are ashy-gray on 

 the upper sides. The iris of the eye is black. 



This animal feeds principally on the young shoots of the 

 pine-tree, and Pallas states, that its excrement acquires so 

 resinous a quality from the nature of its food, that it will 

 burn with a bright flame, giving a resinous scent. 



It is entirely an inhabitant of trees, springing from 

 branch to branch, and from tree to tree, with great agility, 

 aided by the powerful assistance of the lateral membranes. 

 It frequently sits like the Squirrel, taking its food to the 

 mouth with the fore paws, with the tail sometimes vertical, 

 or nearly so, at others horizontal. It seldom quits the 

 cleft of a tree selected for its retreat, except during the 

 night, and its eyes, like those of many birds, are furnished 



P % 



