90 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Genus Sciuropterus F. Cuvier 



1855 Sciuropterus F. Cuvier, Dents des mammif^res, p. 255. Type^ 

 Sciurus volans Linnaeus. 

 Squirrels with a broad furry membrane connecting front and hind leg of each 

 side, but none between hind legs. (Sciuropterus; Gk., squirrel wing) 



The genus Sciuropterus is distributed throughout the greater 

 part of northern Europe, northern Asia and northern North America. 

 It contains a dozen or more species, several of which are American. 

 Two occur within our limits. 



SPECIES OF SCIUROPTERUS 



Total length about 280 (11 ) j far of belly dark at base S. sabrinus 



Total length about 230 (9) ; fur of belly white to base S. volans 



Sciuropterus volans (Linnaeus) Souther7i flying squirrel 



1758 [Mus] volans Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10. 1:63. (Virginia) 

 1890 S[ciuropterus] volans Jordan, Manual of the vertebrate animals of 



the northern United States, ed. 5. p. 324. 

 1896 Sciuropterus volans volans Bangs, Proc. biolog. soc. Washing- 

 ton. 28 Dec. 1896. 10:164. 



Back drab, somewhat shaded with russet, not distinctly different in winter 

 and summer; Tjclly ;pure white to extreme lyase of hairs. Total length 230 (9); 

 tail vertebrae, 100 (4) ; hind foot, 30 (IJ). (volans ; Lat., flying) 



The southern flying squirrel occurs in woods, orchards, buildings, etc., 

 in the transition zone and upper austral zone from New Hampshire and 

 southern Ontario to Georgia. It is divisible into two races ; of which 

 the typical form alone, S. volans volans, occurs within our limits. 



Sciuropterus sabrinus (Shaw) Northern flying squirrel 



Back in winter glossy wood brown mixed with cinnamon, in summer sooty 

 drab; belly dirty ivhite, the hairs dai-ker at base, (sabrinus; N. Lat., Severn) 



The northern flying squirrel occurs throughout the wooded portions 

 of eastern North America from the southern border of the Canadian 

 zone northward. It is abundant in the evergreen forests of central and 

 northern New York and New England, and in the Alleghanies. Two 

 subspecies occur within our limits. 



