* P t e r o m y s a l b o n ig e r , 1 Hodgson.
Sciuropterus alboniger, Hodgson, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. vol. v. 1886, p. 281; Cal. Joum. Nat. Hist,
vol. iv. 1844, p. 298; Proc. Zool. Soc. 1856, p. 403; Ogilby, Boyle's 111. Himal. Bot. Mem.
Mamm. 1840, p. 18; Gray, Hand List Mamm. B.M. 1848, p. 185; Cat. Nepal Mamm.
Hodg. Coll. 1846, p; 22; Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 1847, vol. xvi. p. 866; ibid. 1859,
vol. xxviii. p. 278; Cat. Mamm. As. Soc. Mus. 1863, p. 97; Horsfield, Cat. Mamm. E. Ind.
Co.'s Mus. 1851, p. 163 ; Proc. Zool. Soc. 1856, p. 408; Jerdon, Mamm. Ind. 1867, p. 179.
Seiuroptera twrnbullii, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1887, p. 68; Blyth, Joum. As. Soc. 1847, vol. xvi. p. 866.
Pteromys twrnbullii> Gray, Charlesworth's Mag. Nat. Hist, (new series), vol. i. 1887, p. 584; Wagner,
Schreber, Saugeth. Suppl. vol. in. 1843, p. 224; Schinz, Syn. Mamm. vol. ii. 1845, p. 56.
I obtained skins of this species at Teng-yue-chow. I t was first described from
Nepal. The name applied to the species is not appropriate, as many individuals have
the upper parts more or less yellowish-brown. The types are in the British Museum.
The smallest is pale brownish-grey on ail the upper parts and tail, and the parachute
is dark rich brown on its outer half. The fur is soft, dense and moderately
long, slaty grey at its base, then narrowly brown, followed by a pale-yellow, band
which is generally terminal, but in some the hairs are tipped with brown. Oheek-
bristles are present, but feeble. The tail presents no banding, and is pale dusky
yellowish-brown, and in some specimens, it is more bushy than in others, and in this
respect more resembles the tail of P . fimbriatus. The teeth both in this species and
in P. fimbriatus are bright orange-red, and the molars are tuberculated, but not more
so than in P. magmficus, P. caniceps, and P . leucogenys.
In the young, the base of the fur is nearly black, and the dark area around the
eye is very well defined. The tail is nearly black and more distichous than in the
adult. ■
Inches. Inches.
The length of body . . ., - • 8’30 ( i ) to 8'85 ($).
tail 6:80 ( i ) to 6-90 ( ? ) .’
This species has been found in Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, Sylhet, Burma,
Western Yunnan, and Cambodja.
P t e r o m y s ph a e o m e l a s , Gunther.
Pteromysphceomelas, Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1873, p. 413.
This species is from Borneo. I t is a small, brownish-black, flying squirrel with
a very glossy back. The hairs on the hinder half of the back have a narrow, sub-
1 There is a small flying squirrel in the British Museum which I have not been able to identify. I t is
from the Laos Mountains (Mouhot), and appears to be closely allied to P . alboniger. I t is pale greyish-brown
above, darker on the limbs and parachute which are grizzled, the feet being nearly white. The tail at its base is
nearly the same colour as the back, but the remainder is as dark as the limbs, but ungrizzled, passing nearly into
black ; its under surface being greyish-brown. The under parts of the body are thickly clad with yellowish-white
fur. The length of the body is 7 inches and the tail without the hair 6 inches. There are two small cheek-bristles,
and the hind feet are whitish. The ears are smaller than those of P . alboniger, and the hinder margin is not
so rounded. This is probably the flying squirrel referred by Gray to P . momonga,—vide Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861,
terminal grey or white band which produces a very obscure, but minutely punc
tulated appearance to the fur. The upper surface of the parachute is less glossy.
and the hairs have no pale bands. The under surface is sparsely clad with woolly
chestnut-brown fur; the throat, the centre of the belly and the outer part of the
membrane being most thickly clad. Cheek-bristles are present, but they are feeble
and few in number. The tail is bushy.
Inches.
The length of body . . . - . . . . . 13-00
| tail ii-5o
The edentulous interspace of the lower jaw is somewhat similarly shaped to P.
elegans. The teeth differ from those of any other Pteromys I have observed,
in the peculiar roughened character of the crown, which is covered with fine, wavy
striae which run down from the apices of the ridges and tubercles.
P t e r o m y s t e p h r o m e l a s , Gunther.
Pteromys tephromelas, Gunther, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1873, p. 413, pi. xxxviii.
This is also a small black species. The fur is brownish-black at its base,
and greyish in its upper third, the hairs being broadly black-tipped and glossy.
This grey under colour is restricted to the anterior half of the back and to the head;
the hairs of the upper surface of the limbs, parachute and tail being wholly lustrous
brown-black. The hair of the under surface is sparse, but thickest on the mesial line
and on the outer portion of the wing-membrane. The central line is greyish, and
also the under surface of the parachute. The cheek bristles are present, but they
are feeble and not numerous. The tail is long and narrow, not distichous, and
equalling or rather exceeding the length of the body. The skull is of moderate
size, and the incisors are pale-yellow. . The infra-orbital foramen is an oblique slit
which is but little forwardly projected.
Inches..
The length of body ( ? ) ............................................. • ' -• • 10'
„* ,, tail . . . . • . • • • * . 1 1
This flying squirrel has been found in Pinang and Malacca.
P t e r o m y s h o r s f i e l d i i , Waterhouse.
Pteromys horsfieldii, Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1887, p. 87; Wagner, Schreber, Säugeth.
Suppl. vol. iii. 1843, p. 228; Schinz, Syn. Mamm. vol. ii. 1845, p. 52.
Pteromys av/rantiacus, Wagner, München, Gelehrte. Anz. 1841, No. 54; Wagner, Schreber, Säugeth.
- Suppl. vol. iii. 1848, p. 225; Schinz, Syn. Mamm. vol. ii. .1845, p. 52; Blyth, Journ.
As. Soc. Beng. vol. xvi. 1847, p. 867.
Sciuropterus horsfieldii, Gray, List Mamm. B. M. 1843, p. 134; Cantor, Joum. As. Soc. Beng.
vol. xv. 1846, p. 258; Blyth, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. 1847, vol. xyi. p. 867; ibid. vol. xxvni.
1859, p. 278.
Sciuropterus sagitta, Müller und Schlegel, Verhandl.. 1839-44 (in part), p. 109; Blyth, Joum. As.
Soc. Beng. 1855, vol. xxiv. p. 187.