Flying Squirrel: 6 Facts About

A flying squirrel is called a tagalog in India.

A flying squirrel is a curious little squirrel which does not really fly, but which can glide downward through the air with a movement similar to flight. 

6 Facts About Flying Squirrels:

1. It accomplishes "flight" by means of an extension of its fur-covered skin on each side of its body, between its fore and hind legs. The little animal runs to the top of a tree, leaps out, spreading its legs and at the same time stretching out this side skin, which resists the air like a parachute. In this position the squirrel can glide sixty feet through the air but only in a downward direction.
2. These animals are nocturnal in their habits, sleeping during the day and roaming the woods for food at night.
3. They feed on nuts and leaf buds, and also on the eggs of birds and even the young, when obtainable.
4. The common flying squirrel of the eastern part of the United States is about five inches long, exclusive of its bushy tail.
5. It has bright black eyes and soft fur, which is grayish on the upper and white on the underneath side of the body. 
6. The tagalog, the large flying squirrel of India, is sometimes called the flying marmot or flying cat. 

How the flying Squirrel Soars by Nature on PBS.