832 MONOGRAPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN RODBNT1A. 



]s-2'.\ and neither of them have any serious complications of synonymy. The 

 Spermophilus ftiaerurus, described by Mr. Bennett in 1833, "from that part 

 of California which adjoins Mexico", is undoubtedly referable to var. beecheyi, 



it' the locality is correctly given ; the only question that can he raised is as to 

 whether it should be referred to this form rather than to var. douglassi. This, 

 however, is a point of minor importance. The size, form, and coloration 

 accord well with var. beecheyi.; the only point of discrepancy is the "black 

 head, on which a very few white hairs exist". This indicates a slight ten- 

 dency to melanism, such as quite a number of specimens present, in which 

 the head is unusually blackish. Several specimens of this type of coloration 

 are among those received from Southern California. I have hence not the 

 slightest hesitation in referring S. macrurus to one of Ihe Pacific-coast forms 

 of gramtmtrus, or, more definitely, to var. beecheyi, with whose habitat the 

 alleged locality accords. 



The Sciurus californicus of Lesson, described in 1847 as from California, 

 seems also undoubtedly referable to var. beecheyi, as already suggested by 

 Professor Baird. It is, in fact, with one or two slight exceptions, an excellent 

 and detailed description of this animal. The white bands on the sides are 

 represented as extending rather farther back than usual, but not farther 

 than frequently happens. The color of the tail is alone erroneously described, 

 the description implying that there is but a single band of black instead of 

 three.* 



* I bere subjoin a transcript of Lesson's entire notice of bis Sciurus {Macroxus) californicus, kindly 

 famished by Dr. E. J. Nolan, secretary of tbe Acadeinyof Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, from the copy 

 of Lesson's " Description de Manjtuifcres et d'Oiseanx", etc., contained in tbe library of tbe Academy. 



" L'EcUREUIL DE LA CALIFORNIE. 



" {Sciurus {Macroxus) Californicus, Lesson.) 



"La Californie nourrit plusieurs especes d'ecureuils fort voisines les nnes des autres, et qui 

 appartiennent an groupe des Guerlinguets oti des Tamias : ce sont les S. botlae, Less. (Cent. Zool. pi. 76); 

 Manoxus nigrescent ( Benn. Proc. 1833, p. 41) ; -Macroxus avreogasler, F. Cuv. (Manini. pi. — et Bonite, pi. 

 in et 11 ) ; S. nebouxii, l*id. Geoff. (Bonite, pi. 12), et Tamias hindei, Gray (Ann. t. x, p. 264). 



•' Ld petit mammifere qui fait l'objet de cette description est de la taille de l'ecurenil d'Earope; 

 ses formes sont ansi celles de notre ecureuil, mais ses oreilles sont sans pinceaux de polls, et sa queue, 

 garaie de poils serres, mais pen longs, est aplatie. 



"Cet animal que nous nommons califomien, parce qn'il vit dans cette partie de l'Ame'rique, a le 

 museau assez attcuue el legerement comprirud; ses dents incisives sont de l'orang<5 le plus vif ; les yenx 

 hunt encadrds d'un cercle blancbatre, tandis que les poils dn dessus de la tete sont tiquetes de brun stir 

 un fond vineux pale ; les joues et le gosier sout gris-clair ; les oreilles sont legerement obovales, couvertes 

 de tres-petits poils, mais sans pinceaux ; le pelage sur le corps est ge'no'ralenient gris vineux tiquetd de 

 gris-clair et de ubir; le fond de cette coloration est plus franchement gris sur la nuque et sur le cou, plus 

 rotissatre sur la croupe, et franchement rose vineux sur les membres anterienrs ou postdrienrs ; le gris 

 tiquetd du dos est coupd par une etroite baude blanche, qui s'<5teud de chaque c6t<5 depuis le bant do 



