1847.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society, 867 



mens, presented by Mr. F. Bonynge, who procured tliem during his stay in 

 Upper Assam ; and as the same gentleman gave one to Mr. Walker at the 

 time of that naturalist's visit to his station in 1842, there can be no doubt of 

 the identity of the species with that referred to sagitla by Mr. Walker. This 

 animal presents a still nearer approach than does the last to the Malayan Sc. 

 Horsfieldii, Waterhouse, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 87 (vel Pteromys aurantiacus, 

 Wagner) ; but the tuft of long fine hair surrounding the ears readily distinguishes 

 it,* also the smaller and clad ears, the brushes of hair impending the claws more 

 especially of the hind-feet, and the last are much more densely covered-with 

 hair : the fur of the upper-parts is besides less fine, and more grizzled ; and 

 the blackish (or it might be termed black) base of the fur is more apparent 

 on that of the lateral membrane ; in Sc. Horsfieldii the fur is not blackish 

 at base, but of a dusky-grey colour. Of the same size and form as Sc. 

 Horsfieldii and -Sc. alboniger, the present species is further distinguished from 

 the latter by the bright ferruginous colour, with some pale tips intermingled, 

 of its general upper surface ; by its strongly rufescent tail, pale towards the 

 base, and the deep ferruginous tinge of the fur of the under surface of its 

 lateral membranes, whieh also more or less imbues the entire under surface of 

 the body. Length (of a large specimen) 16 inches, of which the tail measures 

 half ; of the ear posteriorly f inch ; and tarse to end of claws 1^ inch. Mr. 

 Bonynge favored me with an interesting notice of the crepuscular habits of 

 this little animal, in common with the rest of its tribe ; and which recalled 

 to mind Catesby's account of the little Flymg Squirrel of the United States 

 (Sc. volucella), by the remarks that — " in the dusk of the evening, when 

 making their downward" (i. e. gradually descending) " leap, they look more 

 like falling leaves than anything else." He adds — " They are very difficult 

 to be got, though plentiful enough. Whenever the Singphos can catch and 

 kill them, they do so." 



(Sc. fuscocapillus, Jerdon. This is an undeseribed species, from S. India, 

 a notice of which may be introduced here. Length 7a inch., of tail (vertebrae) 

 6 inch., the hair reaching f- inch further : fore-foot proportionally large, 

 measuring with claws li inch : hind-feet wanting in the only specimen 

 examined. Ears small, and almost wholly naked, of an ovate form, and 

 measuring h, inch long posteriorly. Tail very bushy, and but indistinctly 

 distichous. Moustaches long and black. Fur rather long (the hairs measur- 

 ing fully f inch on the back), porrect, of extremely fine texture, the indi- 

 vidual piles sinuous, and those of the upper-parts fuscous to near the tips, 

 which arc of a rufescent-fulvous hue, or dark brownish-isabelline, forming 

 the surface colour ; on the croup the fur is shorter and more dense, somewhat 

 as in Sc. genibarbis, (Horsf.) ; and upon the head it is much shorter, and the 

 basal dusky hue predominates over the greyish-brown tips : above the volar 

 membrane also the blackish hue is chiefly apparent. Under-parts rufous- 

 white, extending to the cheeks and under-lip ; the lateral fur margining the 

 membrane rufo-fulvous. The hairs of the tail measure 1 inch and upwards, 

 for its basal half or more, becoming gradually rather shorter towards the tip ; 

 their colour pale at base, then darker, producing an ensemble nearly of the 

 colour of the back ; but underneath, the tail is fuscous or blackish-brown, 

 and the extreme tip is whitish. 



11. Sc. spadiceus, nobis, n. s. pi. XXXVI, fig. 1. A diminutive species from 

 Arracan, about 5 inch, in length, minus the tail, which measures 4| inch. ; tarse 

 to end of claws 1^ inch. Upper surface bright ferruginous-bay in old speci- 

 mens, with the membranes, limbs, and tail, dusky, and the basal fourth of the 

 latter pale rufous underneath : under-parts dull white, with fur of a somewhat 



* In Sc. genibarbis, Uorsfield, tlic tuft below the ear is more marked and circum- 

 scribed. 



J u 



