What is "flying squirrel"

Flying \Fly"ing\, a. [From Fly, v. i.] Moving in the air with, or as with, wings; moving lightly or rapidly; intended for rapid movement. Flying army (Mil.) a body of cavalry and infantry, kept in motion, to cover its own garrisons and to keep the enemy in continual alarm. --Farrow. Flying artillery (Mil.), artillery trained to rapid evolutions, -- the men being either mounted or trained to spring upon the guns and caissons when they change position. Flying bridge, Flying camp. See under Bridge, and Camp. Flying buttress (Arch.), a contrivance for taking up the thrust of a roof or vault which can not be supported by ordinary buttresses. It consists of a straight bar of masonry, usually sloping, carried on an arch, and a solid pier or buttress sufficient to receive the thrust. The word is generally applied only to the straight bar with supporting arch. Flying colors, flags unfurled and waving in the air; hence: To come off with flying colors, to be victorious; to succeed thoroughly in an undertaking. Flying doe (Zo["o]l.), a young female kangaroo. Flying dragon.

1. (Zo["o]l.) See Dragon, 6.

2. A meteor. See under Dragon. Flying Dutchman.

   1. A fabled Dutch mariner condemned for his crimes to sail the seas till the day of judgment.

   2. A spectral ship.

      Flying fish. (Zo["o]l.) See Flying fish, in the Vocabulary.

      Flying fox (Zo["o]l.), see Flying fox in the vocabulary.

      Flying frog (Zo["o]l.), either of two East Indian tree frogs of the genus Rhacophorus ( Rhacophorus nigrapalmatus and Rhacophorus pardalis), having very large and broadly webbed feet, which serve as parachutes, and enable it to make very long leaps.

      Flying gurnard (Zo["o]l.), a species of gurnard of the genus Cephalacanthus or Dactylopterus, with very large pectoral fins, said to be able to fly like the flying fish, but not for so great a distance.

      Note: Three species are known; that of the Atlantic is Cephalacanthus volitans.

      Flying jib (Naut.), a sail extended outside of the standing jib, on the flying-jib boom.

      Flying-jib boom (Naut.), an extension of the jib boom.

      Flying kites (Naut.), light sails carried only in fine weather.

      Flying lemur. (Zo["o]l.) See Colugo.

      Flying level (Civil Engin.), a reconnoissance level over the course of a projected road, canal, etc.

      Flying lizard. (Zo["o]l.) See Dragon, n. 6.

      Flying machine, any apparatus for navigating through the air, especially a heavier-than-air machine. -- Flying mouse (Zo["o]l.), the opossum mouse ( Acrobates pygm[ae]us), a marsupial of Australia. Called also feathertail glider.

      Note: It has lateral folds of skin, like the flying squirrels, and a featherlike tail. -- Flying party (Mil.), a body of soldiers detailed to hover about an enemy. -- Flying phalanger (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of small marsuupials of the genera Petaurus and Belideus, of Australia and New Guinea, having lateral folds like those of the flying squirrels. The sugar squirrel ( Belideus sciureus), and the ariel ( Belideus ariel), are the best known; -- called also squirrel petaurus and flying squirrel. See Sugar squirrel. -- Flying pinion, the fly of a clock. -- Flying sap (Mil.), the rapid construction of trenches (when the enemy's fire of case shot precludes the method of simple trenching), by means of gabions placed in juxtaposition and filled with earth. -- Flying shot, a shot fired at a moving object, as a bird on the wing. -- Flying spider. (Zo["o]l.) See Ballooning spider. -- Flying squid (Zo["o]l.), an oceanic squid ( Ommastrephes Bartramii syn. Sthenoteuthis Bartramii), abundant in the Gulf Stream, which is able to leap out of the water with such force that it often falls on the deck of a vessel. -- Flying squirrel (Zo["o]l.) See Flying squirrel, in the Vocabulary. -- Flying start, a start in a sailing race in which the signal is given while the vessels are under way. -- Flying torch (Mil.), a torch attached to a long staff and used for signaling at night.

n. Any of 43 species of squirrels from the ''(taxlink Pteromyinae subfamily noshow=1)'' subfamily, which glide from tree to tree.

n. nocturnal phalangers that move with gliding leaps using parachute-like folds of skin along the sides of the body [syn: flying phalanger, flying opossum]

Flying squirrels (scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini) are a tribe of 44 species of squirrels in the family Sciuridae. They are not capable of flight in the same way as birds or bats but are able to glide from one tree to another with the aid of a patagium, a furry, parachute-like membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle. Their long tail provides stability in flight. Anatomically they are very similar to other squirrels but have a number of adaptations to suit their life style; their limb bones are longer and their hand, foot bones and distal vertebrae are shorter. While flying they are able to steer and exert control over their glide path with their limbs and tail.

Molecular studies have shown that flying squirrels are monophyletic and originated some 18–20 million years ago. Most are nocturnal and omnivorous, eating fruit, seeds, buds, flowers, insects, gastropods, spiders, fungi, bird's eggs and tree sap. The young are born in a nest and are at first naked and helpless. They are cared for by their mother and by five weeks are able to practice gliding skills so that by ten weeks they are ready to leave the nest,

Flying squirrel is a tribe of 44 species of squirrel

Flying squirrel may also refer to:

• Forsythia (flying squirrel), a fossil flying squirrel
• Gliding possum, marsupials from Australia and New Guinea
• Rocky the Flying Squirrel, an animated cartoon character created in 1959
• The Richmond Flying Squirrels, the post-2009 name for the minor league baseball team previously known as the West Haven Yankees, formed in 1972
• The name of a takedown technique made famous by American Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler Ellis Coleman, who also shares the nickname
• A nickname for American Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas