THE SQUIRRELS-FLYING. 



311 



freedom in the wilderness. A relatively diminutive 

 African Squirrel, the markings of which differed 

 materially from Sciurus minutus, was for a time in 

 the possession and under the observation of Pechuel- 

 Loesche in Loango. He writes about it: "A charm- 

 ing living Squirrel, with a fur of a rusty red color, 

 adorned by two double black and white side bands, 

 was once presented to me. The natives called it 

 Mkaka. It seemed completely grown, though it 

 was only of the size of a large Mouse, so that one 

 could conceal it in one's hand. In a few days it 

 was so tame that we could give it the freedom 

 of the house. With a constant, cheerful 'tak tak,' 



while the lower one shows but a scanty covering. 

 A bony spur at the first joint of the fore-legs gives 

 especial strength to the membrane. The tail serves 

 as an effective rudder and is always vigorous, though 

 it is not of the same conformation in the different 

 species, one group having it simply bushy, while the 

 other has the hair on it arranged in two lateral rows. 

 There are also slight differences in the structure of 

 the teeth. 



The Taguan or The Taguan i^Pteromys petauristd) is 



East Indian Fly- the largest member of the whole 



ing Squirrel. family, nearly equaling a Cat in size. 



The flying membrane begins on the fore-legs, ex- 



THE lAGUAIT. Of the sub-family known as the Flying Squirrels the largest member is the Taguan, and it is one of the most attractive 



denizens of the forests and jungles of Hindostan. The very long tail serves as an effective rudder when the animal spreads its membrane to take 

 its long and swift leaps from the tree-tops. These animals, with the membrane spread and folded, are admirably depicted in the illustration. 

 (Pteromys fetaurista.) 



accompanied by a movement of the wide, bushy tail, 

 it frolicked about at all hours, but was much more 

 active at night than in the daytime." 



THE FLYING SQUIRRELS. 



The diurnal Tree Squirrels are followed by the 

 nocturnal Flying Squirrels {Pteromys). They differ 

 from the foregoing mainly in having their fore and 

 hind legs connected by a wide flying membrane. 

 This membrane acts as a parachute, and enables the 

 Squirrels to execute considerable leaps with ease, in 

 an inclined plane from above downward; it consists 

 of a stout skin, extending along both sides of the 

 body, thickly grown with hair on the upper side. 



tends down the flanks, and is attached to the hind- 

 legs, whence it is prolonged to the tail by a small 

 fold of skin. In a state of repose the membrane is 

 folded against the body. On the top of the head, 

 the back and the base of the tail, the color of the 

 fur is a mixture of gray and black. On the whole 

 under surface the fur has a dingy whitish gray tint. 

 The membrane is of a brownish black or maroon 

 color above, edged with light ashy gray and yellow- 

 ish gray below. The tail is black. 



The Taguan is a native of all parts of East India 

 and Ceylon, where there are extensive forests. It 

 lives either singly or in couples, in the densest parts 

 of the woods and preferably on the highest trees. 



