196 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



the night. It is nocturnal in its habits, like the other 

 species. 



The Sciurus Sagitta is mentioned as a native of Java by 

 Linnaeus, in the 12th edition of the Systema Naturae, on the 

 authority of Nordgrew, and a detailed description of it is 

 given after the specific character. Professor G. Fischer has 

 arranged the Sciurus Sagitta as a synonym of S.Petaurista. 

 Pennant also has formed the opinion, that they were the 

 same animal ; but Boddaert admits its existence as a dis- 

 tinct species ; and Pallas enumerates, with his usual pre- 

 cision, the characters which distinguish it from S. Petau- 

 rista. 



To distinguish the Sciurus Sagitta, as far as it is yet 

 known, at once from the Kechubu, 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 an- 

 terior extremities, and forms an acute salient angle behind 

 the wrist, and that it is only one palm in length. The 

 appearance which is expressed by the specific name Sagitta 

 is not observed in the Kechubu. The S. Sagitta is deep 

 brown on the upper parts, and white underneath, the tail 

 bright brown. 



For the other species of this subdivision, we shall merely 

 refer to the table, observing only, that they are marked by 

 a difference in the tail from those already mentioned, which 

 has induced their separation into a section distinct from 

 the rest. This is, that the tail is round with full fur, but 

 shaped like that of the generality of quadrupeds, whereas 

 in those already mentioned, as has been observed, the tail 

 is flat or horizontal, and the long hairs of it spring from 

 each side in the manner of the barbs of a common feather. 



The genus Cheiromys, of the Baron, including the sin- 

 gle species Aye Aye, (Lemur Psilodaciylus, Gm. Long- 

 fingered Lemur, Shaw,) is inserted by our author as a sub- 



