OEDEfi OF EODENTIA. 



483 



would appear that they are also found on the Indian slopes of the 

 Himalayas. 



The Pteromys (Winged Rats, from trT^nou^ wing, /xus, rat) are 

 much larger than the preceding. They are proper to Southern 

 Asia and the Indian Archipelago. The best-known species is the 

 Taguan (Fig. 208). 



The Anomalures (Fig. 209) were not known to naturalists until 

 1840, when Mr. Fraser brought one from Fernando-Po. They 

 inhabit the "West Coast of Africa. One of their most singular 

 characteristics consists in the presence, at the inferior base of the 



Fig. 2US.— Tagimn (^Ptcromt/s pet'iurista). 



tail, of thick scales dove-tailed into one another, the use of which 

 appears to be to furnish a point of support when they climb 

 vertically along the trees. 



Genus Tamia. — The Tamias greatly resemble the true Squirrels ; 

 but they have a shorter tail, and are provided with cheek- 

 pouches. Their life is not exclusively spent in trees, they run 

 very actively on the ground ; and, instead of building on trees, 

 they excavate burrows, in which they accumulate the provisions 

 transferred from their cheek-pouches. They live on fruit and 

 grain. These animals are to be found in Africa, India, and 

 North America. The principal species are the Burrowino- 

 Squirrel of Senegal, the Palm Squirrel of the Indian continent, 



II 2 



