Allen Mammals of Margarita Island. 93 



others from the adjacent mainland, but in measurements, the skull 

 agrees closely with the dimensions of an adult female skull from San 

 Julian, given by Messrs. Robinson and Lyon (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 XXIV, p. 138, 1901); I have compared the skull also with that of Oalu- 

 romys trinitatis (Thomas) from Caura, Trinidad, and find but little ap 

 preciable difference, although the nasal bones and the palate are a trifle 

 broader in the Margarita specimen, and the jaw is a trifle heavier. In 

 color, the skins of the Margarita and Trinidad animals are nearly iden 

 tical, though Mr. Clark's specimen is perhaps a little paler, lacking the 

 faint chestnut tint dorsally and being a shade paler below than the 

 Trinidad species, as might perhaps be anticipated. The material at 

 hand, however, would not at all warrant a separation. 



3. Sciurus nesseus* sp. nov. Margarita Squirrel. 



Sciurus cestuans hoffmanni Robinson, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVIII, p. 

 651, 1896. 



Type from El Valle, Margarita Island, Venezuela, No. 619, collection 

 of Glover M. Allen, 9 adult. Collected July 8, 1901, by Austin H. 

 Clark. 



General characters. Dorsal surface of body light ochraceous, sprinkled 

 with black; terminal three-fourths of tail uniform ochraceous. Ven 

 tral surface of body bright orange-rufous. 



Coloration. Dorsal surfaces of head, body, and proximal fifth of tail, 

 grizzled ochraceous, or ochraceous-buff, and black; the separate hairs 

 are plumbeous at the base for a space of about 4 mm., then comes a 

 band of about the same width of ochraceous-buff, followed by a band of 

 black about one-half as wide, then a second band of ochraceous-buff 

 about 2 mm. in width, and a fine black tip. The general effect is nearly 

 the same as that seen in a bright skin of the red squirrel (Sciurus hud- 

 sonicus loquax) of southern New England in summer pelage. Sides of 

 the body similar, but with less black; cheeks, and an indistinct eye 

 ring, nearly pure ochraceous; dorsal surface of forearms and feet slightly 

 brighter than the back. Ventral surface of body bright orange-rufous, 

 less intense on the lower sides of the limbs. The terminal three-fourths 

 of the tail is uniform ochraceous above, due to the entire concealment 

 of the two small black rings, one at the base and one about half-way up 

 on each hair; ventrally the tail shows a distinct border of orange-ru 

 fous, with the median area grizzled black and ochraceous. The whiskers 

 of the type are nearly all pale ochraceous. 



Remarks. The type is unaccompanied by measurements, but the dry 

 skin gives the following: length, 374 mm.; tail, 159 mm.; hind foot, 

 56.2 mm.; ear, 16 mm. Unfortunately the skull was completely shat 

 tered. 



belonging to an island, insular, 



