The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Petaurist \Pe*tau"rist\ (p[-e]*t[add]"r[i^]st), n. [L.
   petaurista a ropedancer, Gr. petayristh`s, fr. petayri`zein
   to dance on a rope, fr. pe`tayron a pole, a stage for
   ropedancers: cf. F. p['e]tauriste.] (Zool.)
   Any flying marsupial of the genera Petaurus, Phalangista,
   Acrobata, and allied genera. See Flying mouse, under
   Flying, and Phalangister.
   [1913 Webster]