112 WILD LIFE IN NORTH CANARA. 



western forests, which in its turn is 

 four times as large as the squirrel of 

 this country, being in fact about as 

 large as a wild rabbit. The colour of 

 the flying-squirrel is black, shading to 

 iron grey ; its length, including the tail, 

 cannot be less than two and a quarter 

 feet, and when the legs are extended 

 in leaping and the membrane which 

 then discloses itself is spread between 

 the hind and fore legs, the whole width 

 of surface is over a foot, and the 

 creature skims through the air like a 

 slate thrown horizontally. 



The squirrel had not been in posses- 

 sion of the cage above a day or two 

 when a splendid tiger - cat, orange 

 and black was brought in ; there had 

 not been time to prepare a second 



