ORDER RODENTIA. 195 



of the concha ; it descends abruptly, and from the base of 

 its inflected margin arises a thick tuft of silky white hair. 

 The naked interior portion is partially covered by the bris- 

 tles of the cheeks. 



The length of the anterior cartilage of the flying mem- 

 brane qualifies that organ for a more complete expansion 

 in this and in other Javanese species, than in the remain- 

 ing Flying Squirrels. The tail is nearly two-thirds the 

 length of the animal, with the hairs spreading laterally 

 from it like the barbs of a quill, these are long, deli- 

 cate, silky, slightly undulated and numerous, affording 

 to this organ a degree of fulness which is highly orna- 

 mental. 



The general covering is very beautiful. The fur consists 

 of long hairs, downy at the base, closely arranged on the 

 neck and back, but more distant on the flying membrane. 

 For an animal inhabiting a hot climate, this fur is uncom- 

 monly thick ; solitary, bristly hairs project in many parts 

 from the downy covering. 



The general colour is gray on the upper parts, and 

 white underneath ; on the neck, the back, and the tail, this 

 colour has a brownish tint inclining to tawny, and the in- 

 tensity of the colour varies in different parts. The hairs 

 are whitish, closely arranged, and delicate ; along the carti- 

 lage, by which the membrane is expanded at the extremity, 

 they form a close fringe, which is continued along the entire 

 lateral border of the membrane. The separation between 

 the upper and lower parts is strongly marked between the 

 neck and shoulder. The animal is about the size of the 

 common Squirrel. 



The Kechubu is an inhabitant of the forests of Pugar, 

 one of the most sequestered districts of the eastern portion 

 of Java, and like the S. Sagitta is extremely rare. Like 

 other species of this genus, it lives on fruits. Its retreat 

 is generally found by a shrill sound the animal emits in 



