84 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 66 



Figure 31. — Distribution of Glaucomys volans volans. 



but may occur in spruce and fir forests in the highest elevations of the 

 Allegheny Mountain section. It differs from the present species pri- 

 marily in that it is much larger in size and the basal portion of the 

 white hairs of the belly are colored grayish. 



Measurements. — External and cranial measurements of eight adults 

 from Newport, Charles County, are as follows: Total length 221.9 

 (211-240) ; tail vertebrae 97.9 (90-110) ; hind foot 26.6 (21-30) ; great- 

 est length of skull 34.6 (33.5-35.6) ; zygomatic breadth 20.5 (19.7- 

 21.3) ; interorbital breadth 6.9 (6.5-7.5) ; length of maxillary tooth 

 row 6.4 (6.2-6.5). 



Habitat and habits. — This is essentially a species of the heavy timber 

 and is never found at any great distance from water. It prefers forests 

 of deciduous trees, but is sometimes encountered in woodlands of mixed 

 conifers and hardwoods. Occasionally it may occupy an old orchard. 



The species is probably abundant in all sections of the State where 

 there is suitable habitat, but because of its secretive habits it is seldom 

 noticed. Bures (1948, p. 67) says that in the Bare Hills-Lake Roland 

 area of Baltimore County it is as common as the chipmunk, but because 

 of its nocturnal habits is less often observed. Hampe (1939, p. 6) found 

 that it was fairly common in the Patapsco State Park. He observed one 

 at twilight on 22 May 1936. Bailey (1923, p. 112) found the species 

 common in the woods of the District of Columbia, right up to the edge 

 of the city. 



