Anomalurus peli appears, according to Mr. W. H. Adams,[[321]] to be a common species on the Gold Coast; it is coloured black and white, but in spite of the warning which this colour should convey, is considered by the perhaps rather omnivorous native as "the greatest delicacy." The animal is nocturnal, but affects only bright moonlight nights. Their "flying" consists of a jump from a high branch to a lower one, after which they reascend the tree to a point of vantage for another jump. They are said to feed upon nuts; but Tullberg only found the remains of leaves in the stomach.
Idiurus is a lately-described genus allied to Anomalurus. There are at any rate two species, I. zenkeri and I. macrotis. The thumb is more reduced than in Anomalurus, and the fibula, contrary to what is found in that genus and in most Sciuromorphs, is fused with the tibia below.
A third genus, very recently described and allied to both the foregoing, is Aëthurus. It is a native of the French Congo,[[322]] and differs by the absence of flying membranes. It has, however, the pad of large scales. There is but one species, A. glirinus. It has a black bushy tail. The postorbital processes of the frontals are totally wanting—there are not even the traces to be seen in Anomalurus. The thumb has vanished. If we are to compare Anomalurus with the Squirrels then, thinks Mr. de Winton, the present genus is probably diurnal by reason of the want of flying membranes.
Fam. 2. Sciuridae.—The Squirrels, genus Sciurus, are world-wide in range, the Australian region and the island of Madagascar being alone excepted.
The eyes and the ears are large; the tail is of course long and bushy. The fore-feet have an inconspicuous thumb; the hind-feet have four toes. The soles of the fore-feet are naked or furry, those of the hind-feet are hairy. There are twelve or thirteen dorsal vertebrae, and in correspondence seven or six lumbars. The caudal vertebrae may be as many as twenty-five. In the skull the frontals are broad, and there are long
postorbital processes. The infra-orbital foramen is, as a rule, not large, but is increased in size in a few forms. The number of separate pieces of bone in the sternum is five. The molars of the upper jaw are five, but the first is very small and soon drops out.
The Squirrels are often rather brilliantly coloured. The Chinese Sc. castaneiventris has grey fur with a rich chestnut-coloured under surface. The Malabar Squirrel, Sc. maximus, as its name implies, a large animal, has a deep reddish or chestnut-coloured fur above, which becomes yellow below. The "Common Squirrel," "the lytill squerell full of besynesse," which is the Squirrel of this country, is brownish red on the upper parts and white below. It ranges from this country as far east as Japan. Like many other Rodents the Squirrel likes animal food and will eat both eggs and young birds. "Camel's hair" brushes are made from this animal. The genus Tamias, almost exclusively North American in range, is included by Dr. Forsyth Major[[323]] in this genus, which then consists of considerably over one hundred species.
The Ethiopian Ground Squirrels, genus Xerus, have a more elongated skull than Sciurus, and the postorbital processes are shorter. The feet are not hairy.
Nannosciurus forms a perfectly distinct genus of Squirrels. These "Pygmy Squirrels" differ in possessing a very elongated "face" and in the very broad frontal region. The teeth are unlike those of Sciurus in certain features, and have been especially compared by Forsyth Major to those of the Dormice. Four species of this genus are Malayan; one is West African.