Vol. XII, pp. 145-156 June 3. 1898 



PROCEEDINGS 

 BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SQUIRRELS FROM MEXICO 

 AND CENTRAL AMERICA. 



BY E. W. NELSON. 



During explorations made in Mexico and parts of Central 

 America for the Biological Survey, U. S. Department of Agricult- 

 ure, an extraordinarily fine series of squirrels has been secured. 

 The collection contains topotypes of all but two or three of the 

 large number of species described from Mexico, besides speci- 

 mens from scores of widely scattered localities. After my return 

 from the field a few months ago, Dr. C. Hart Merriam. Chief of 

 the Biological Survey, who had already done some work on the 

 group, generously placed this rich material in my hands for 

 elaboration. In order that I might cover the ground more satis- 

 factorily, Mr. F. W. True, Executive Curator of the U. S. National 

 Museum, placed the entire Museum series of tropical American 

 Squirrels at my disposal, and Dr. J. A. Allen, Curator of Mam- 

 mals in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, 

 loaned me the series in the collection under his charge. With- 

 out the material furnished by Dr. Allen and Mr. True I could 

 not have reached satisfactory conclusions concerning the Central 

 American species, and I wish to express my appreciation of their 

 kindness. 



I am also under special obligations to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, 

 Curator of Mammals in the British Museum, for his courtesy in 

 comparing specimens in our collection with type specimens in 

 the British Museum, thus identifying Gray's numerous names 

 with forms from known localities, and furnishing a safe basis for 

 future work. 



32-Bior,. Soc. Wash., Vol. XII, 1898 (X45) 



