158 



HOODED FLYING SQUIRREL. 



Sciunis Sagitta ? S. hi/pochondriis prolixis voUfans, cauda piano* 



pinnata lanceolata, Lin. Syst, Nat. p. 88. 

 Ferruginous-brown Flying Squirrel^ pale ferruginous beneath, 



with the flying-membrane commencing on each side the head. 

 Sciurus Virginianus volans. Seb. 7mis. i.p. 72. t. 44./. 3. 

 Sciurm cute a capite ad caudatn relaxata tolans. Lin, Si/st, Nat, 



ed 2. p. 4.6. 

 Hooded Squirrel. Fennant Qiiadr. 2. p. 1^5. 

 Das Kappen Eichhorn. Schreb, p. 822. 



Tms, which appears to have been confounded 

 by some authors with the Taguan or Great Flying 

 Squirrel, is described by Linnajus^ in the Systema 

 Naturce, where it is said to be of the size of a 

 common squirrel^ and of a dark ferruginous-brown 

 above, and pale-ferruginous beneath : the tail is 

 described as of the flatly-pinnated form, or with 

 the hairs spreading towards each side, and the 

 flying membrane is said to be extended from the 

 head to the fore-feet, which is not the case in any 

 species yet known, except in one described by 

 Seba, and which has been named by Mr. Pennant 

 the Hooded Squirrel. I am, therefore, strongly 

 inclined to believe, that the animal described and 

 figured by Seba is in reality the Sciurus Sagitta 

 of Linnaeus. 



Seba describes the animal as rufous above and 

 pale yellow-cinereous beneath, with feet resem- 

 bling hands, and furnished with sharp crooked 

 claws ; the flying membrane commencing at the 

 head, stretching along the neck^ meeting under 



