2l6 
Mammals of Eastern Asia 
In Ellerman's view, the genus does not readily divide into 
groups. He lists instead nine full species. 
The type is Ratufa indica of Bombay. 
The Long-tailed Giant Squirrels, Ratufa macrura, are the 
largest of the Giant Squirrels, attaining in one form a head and 
Fig. 50. Long-tailed Giant Squirrel, Ratufa macrura. 
body length of almost 18 inches. The color above is dark brown, 
black, or red. There are no color marks on the thighs. Bicoloring 
of the tail, if present at all, is indistinct. The ears are short- 
tufted and there are oblique stripes on the cheeks. 
The typical race of this Giant Squirrel lives in Ceylon ; several 
others are found in India. In the area to which this book is 
devoted are found six very distinct forms, treated by Ellerman 
as subspecies of R. gigantea, which he considers a species dis- 
tinct from macrura'. Ratufa m. gigantea of Assam; R. tn. 
lutrina of the west side of the upper Chindwin River, Burma; 
