Sciurus variabilis from Santa Marta, Colombia. 185 



Sciurus variabilis saltuensis subsp. nov. 



Type from Pueblo Viejo, Colombia (altitude, 8000 ft). No. 8144, $ old 

 adult, coll. of E. A. and 0. Bangs. Collected March 26, 1898, by W. W. 

 Brown, Jr. 



Subspecific diameters. — Smaller than true <S'. variabilis; tail shorter; 

 colors duller, deeper and darker ; feet and hands much darker in color ; 

 no patch of clear rufous on shoulders and sides— the hairs of this region, 

 and also those of feet, hands and lower sides, with a black median band 

 like the hairs of the rest of upper parts ; skull smaller, and more solid ; 

 audital bullae smaller, thicker and less inflated. 



Color. —Upper parts, deep, tawny-rufous varied with black— each hair 

 plumbeous at base, then rufous with a black median band; tail much 

 deeper in color than that of true »S'. variabilis, the hairs of its sides with a 

 more distinct black median band ; under parts clear white to base of 

 hairs. 



Cranial characters. — Skull similar to that of true S. variabilis but de- 

 cidedly smaller and rather more solid ; audital bullae much smaller, 

 thicker aud less inflated. 



Size of type skull (old adult $ ) : Basal length, 46 ; occipito-nasal 

 length, 54.2; zygomatic width, 31.6; mastoid width, 24; interorbital 

 width, 18 ; length of nasals, 16.4 ; length of upper tooth row, 9 ; length 

 of mandible, 30. (For measurements see table, p. 186.) 



Remarks. — Mr. Brown found this mountain representative of S. variabilis 

 very rare in the several places he visited in the higher Sierra and secured 

 but three individuals : one at Palomina, May 2, 1S98; and two at Pueblo 

 Viejo, March 20 and 26, 1898. These three skins are indistinguishable in 

 color. 



