290 EODENTIA. 



Ptebomys elegans, Temnn'nck. 



Pteromijs elegans, Temm. Coup d'ceil, Faune des iles de la Sonde et de I'empire du Japon. Introduction, 

 Faun, du Japon. 1836, p. xii. ; Miiller und Schlegel, Verhandl. Natur. Geseh. 1839-44, pp. 107, 

 112, tab. 16, figs. 1 (skull), 2, 3; Is. Geoff. St.-Hil. Mamm. Voy. Jacquemont, 1842-43, p. 65 ; 

 Wagner, Schreber, Saugeth. Suppl. vol. iii. 1843, p. 223; Blyth, Journ. As. See. Bang. vol. 

 xvi. 1847, p. 865; Hid. vol. xxviii. 1859, p. 277; Sehinz, Syn. Mamm. vol. ii. 1845, p. 52; 

 Giebel, Odontogr. p. 45, tab. 20, fig. 7 ; SaugetL vol. ii. p. 641. 



Tteromys punctatus, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. xviii. 1846, p. 211 ; Blyth, Journ. As. 

 Soc. Beng. vol. xxviii. 1859, p. 277. 



TMs flying squirrel was incidentally described by Temminck in bis Introduction 

 to the Pauna Japonica, and had been orerlooked by naturalists until Is. Geoflf. 

 St.-Hilaire directed attention to it. It was discovered in the Island of Nusa Kambang, 

 and when Temminck wrote was unknown in the Island of Java, but I now observe 

 a number of specimens in the Leyden Museum marked as coming from the latter 

 island. 



It resembles F. niticlus in size and proportions, but is distinguished from it by 

 the dorsal region, from the vertex to the root of the tail, and the sides, excluding 

 the wing-membrane, being a mixture of greyish and blackish-purple, depending on 

 the presence of a multitude of almost white hairs which are either generally inter- 

 spersed among the dark haii's, or grouped together in spots. When these whitish or 

 grey hairs are arranged in groups the animals constitute the P. punctatus. Gray. 

 The parts surrounding the dorsal region are deep rich maroon-chestnut, as are also 

 the fore limbs, thighs, and riimp. The grey hairs frequently extend as spots on 

 to the vertex, while in others they stop short on the nape, but the blackish-purple 

 of the back, as a riile, wliich forms the ground colour, occasionally passes into 

 chestnut on the front part of the head, the bases of the hair being a pale violet-grey, 

 the sides of the face before and below the ears being also of the same colour, and, 

 underneath the eye, the hairs are tipped with rich chestnut. The under parts are 

 pale, but rich rufous -chestnut, darker on the under surface of the limbs and on the 

 external half of the parachute. The base of the taU is somewhat contracted and is 

 dusky chestnut, passing into black throughout the rest of its extent. The bushy, 

 erect hairs that clothe the outer portion of the tarsus are pale violet- grey in some, 

 and the carpal cartilage is bordered by the same colour. The ears are moderately 

 large, and longer than broad, diminishing towards the tip and terminating in a 

 rounded point. Then* insides are clad with moderately long, but so very fine hairs, 

 that they have a semi-nude appearance. Their outsides are covered with a few small 

 hairs which become more numerous on the fore margin. The under surface of the 

 fore feet, with the exception of the two proximal pads, is bald, while on the sole of 

 the hind foot the bare area is narrowed posteriorly. The hair around the eyes is 

 generally black, and there are some small irregular spots on the toes, especially on 

 the hind feet, but frequently the feet are altogether black. 



The skull of the species differs only from that of S. niticlus in being somewhat 

 smaller. 



