RODENTIA,
which is more brown than grey, serves to connect the species with P . albwenter.
Both of these flying squirrels are from Tcheli.
Inches.
Length of the body . ■ . . . . .. . . . 19-20
,, „ tail . . . . . . . . . 17-25
In the Leyden Museum there is a large grey squirrel, which seems to he a
variety, or perhaps a seasonal (winter) phase of the species. Its history is not
accurately known, hut Prof. Schlegel informs me that it was received in a collection
of animals, said to have been made in Tibet. The character of the fur, like that of
the type, in its density, indicates that the animal must have been an inhabitant of
a cold region, and its tarsus is thickly clad. Unlike any other Bteromys, except
P . leucogenys, the ears are thickly clothed externally and internally with moderately
long, rather woolly hairs, the external hairs projecting beyond the margin. The
ears also are larger than in the generality of flying squirrels, and are triangular and
pointed. The fur is extremely dense and soft, the long hairs measuring nearly
3 inches and the shorter hairs 1*75. The basal portion is deep slaty, succeeded by
pale greyish-brown, followed by the exposed portion which is still paler and
occasionally marked by white rings, narrowly tipped with blackish. These white
rings confer a grizzled appearance on the pale fur. The general colour, including
the tail, is pale greyish, all the upper surface, including the membranes, being
grizzled with white. The muzzle and the hairs clothing the internal surface of the
ears are pale yellowish, and those on the back of the ear pass into black at their
tips. At the posterior border of the ear there is a whitish tuft. The fore and hind
feet are brown, the hairs terminating in yellowish tips. The under parts are greyish,
washed with yellowish on the under surface of the membrane: The tail unfortunately
is imperfect, but it shows an obscure tendency to form alternate blackish and
grey rings. Cheek-bristles fully developed. The specimen, which is male, measures
18-75 inches along the back, and the imperfect tail is 14 inches.
P t e r o m y s a e b o r t j f e s , A. M.-Edwards.
Pteromys alborufus, A. M.-Edwards, Comptes Rend. 1870, vol. lxx. p. 341 ; Rech. des Mamm. 1868-
74, p. 298, xlv.
This large and beautiful species, the type of which I have examined, has the
head, the sides of the neck, the throat and upper part of the chest, variegated with
white, through which the rich maroon of the ground colour is partially, seen, and it
forms a ring around the eye. The hinder part of the back is yellow, and the tail,
immediately beyond its base, is also yellowish for a short way, fading into the deep
maroon of its latter two-thirds. I t has no black tip. The feet are concolorous
with the body. The under parts are pale rich orange-yellow. The ears are large
and moderately pointed.
, Inches.
Length of the body . . 28
;, „ tail . .............................................................................. .. 16 j
PTEROMYS. 285
I t is closely allied to S. nitidus.
A. M.-Edwards is inclined to interpret tlie difference of oolour manifested by
the head, back, and tail of this squirrel as probably, dne-to a seasonal change.
This species is from the district of Moupin in Tibet.,
P t e b o m y s m a g n i f i c u s , Hodgson.
Pteromys m a g n ify , Hodgson, Jonm. As. Soc. Beng. vol. v. 1836, p. 231; M i. vol. x. 1811, p. 915;
Cal. Joam. Nat. Hist. vol. iv. 1814, p. 293; Ogilby, Boyle’s .H I Him. Bot. Mem. Mamm..
184,0, p. 13; Gray, List Mamm. B. M. 1843, p. 134; Cat. Nepal Mamm. &c. B. M. 1846, .
p, 22- Geoff. St.-HiMre, Voy. aux Ind. Orient. Janqnemont Zool. 1844, p. 65; Blyfli,
Jo um As. Soc. Beng. vol xvi. 1847, p. 866; ibid. vol. xxviii. 1859, p. 277; Cat. Mamm.
' As. Soe. Mas. 1868, p. 95; Horsfd. Cat. Mamm. E. Ind. Co.’s-Mns. 1851, p; 161; Proc.
Zool. Soc.. 1856, p. 403; Jordon, Mamm. Ind. 1867, p. 177.
Sciwopterus nitidus, Hodgson, Proe. Zool. Soe, vol. iv. 1885, p. 98.
Scmopterlts nobilis, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. x. 1842, p. 263; List Mamm. B. M.
1843, p. 134; Cat. Nepal Mamm. &c., Hodgson’s Coll. 1846, p. 22; Hodgson, Journ. As. Soe.
Beng. vol. xiii. 1844, p. 67; Blyth, Jonm. As. Soe. Beng. y d . xvi. 1847, p. 866; M i . 1859,
p . 277.
Scmroyterm ckrysothyx, Hodgson, Jonm. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xiii. 1844,,pv,67, plate, fig. 1 ; Cal.
Joum. Nat. Hist. vol. iv. 1844, p. 298.
Pteromys nobilis, Blyth, Jonrn. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xvi. 1847, p. 866; Horsfield, Cat. Mamm.
E. Ind. Co/s Mus. 1851, p. 160.
The typical specimens of P. magnificus, Hodg., P. nobilis, Gray, and P. chryso-
ihryx, Hodg., are all squirrels equalling each other in size and found living together
in the Himalayas. They present so many striking similarities and are so linked
together by intermediate forms in the area of their distribution that little or no
doubt can exist regarding their specific identity. There are no data, however, to
guide us to the causation of these variations.
Tn a young specimen of P . magnifictiSy the characteristic golden dorsal line
is well defined, whereas in an older individual it is absent, with the exception of
two obscure pale diffused yellow patches, far separated from each other. In a
specimen referred to P. nobilis the dorsal line is wholly wanting, while in others
it is well defined. These specimens agree with each other in all other respects,
so that the presence or absence of the dorsal line is a character of little importance
on account of its variability. The back of the animal is rich lustrous dark
maroon-chestnut, the hairs having black tips, and being finely but obscurely
punctulated with dark orange. The body colour extends on to the upper surface
of the neck and on to the head, but in the former of these localities the hairs are
frequently broadly tipped with yellow, while many hairs on the forehead are also
similarly marked, the hairs around the muzzle and eye being almost black. The
ears are large, with the posterior margin nearly straight, and they are semi-nude,
being only sparsely clad with pale red hairs on the external aspect, and with bright
red hairs posteriorly, but the base of their upper surface is clad with long hairs.
The sides of the face below the eye are yellowish. The upper surface of the