24 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 45. 



the color of the pelage in the two sexes is apparently the same. 

 Change of pelage proceeds from the head downward in a more or 

 less definite line across the body. The dates of specimens which 

 show a distinct changing of the pelage are: February 25, June 4, 7, 

 29, 30, July 1 (2 specimens), 26, September 4 (2 specimens), 18, 20, 

 21, 23, October 27, November 5, 12, 14, 21, 26, December 4, 19, 22. 

 The changes accordmgly take place mainly during the last half of 

 the calendar year. There is only one specimen undergoing a pelage 

 change during the first five months. The dates of pelage changes are 

 thus not so uniformly distributed throughout the year as are those 

 for the production of young. Marked seasonal changes m color do 

 not appear to exist. There is very little difference in color between 

 the new and the old pelages. Where two pelages exist in the same 

 animal, the newer of them is of course brighter and fresher in color, 

 but, strange to say, nearly always lighter. The lighter color is not 

 due to an excess of light-colored rings on the hairs which may later be 

 worn off, but to a real difference m color or shade between the light 

 rings. One of the most striking examples of this difference in color is 

 seen in the tails of the specimens of Twpaia injiata from BUliton. 

 Cat. No. 124985 of that series has a tail with every appearance of an 

 old pelage, and the fight areas of the hau's are ochraceous. Cat. No. 

 124947 of the same series has the light areas of the hairs light buffy 

 in the distal two-thirds, which is in old pelage, and almost whitish 

 in the proximal third, which is distinctly new. 



Number of specimens showing changing pelage and evidences of breeding. 



ALBINISM AND MELANISM IN TUPAIA. 



These anomalies are evidently rare in Twpaia. I have seen but 

 one albinistic specimen, British Museum 60.5.4.72, female, Penang 

 Hills. This is partiaUy albinistic as far down as the 'rump and hind 

 limbs, which with the tail are quite normal in color. The forefeet 

 are also normal in color, and the top of nose and head is less marked 

 with whitish or gray hairs than are the other albinistic areas. A sec- 

 ond specimen, also from Penang Hills, B. M. 79.11.21.307, has an irreg- 

 ular white patch about a square centimeter in area over the right 

 shoulder; otherwise it is entirely normal. It is possible that the 

 cream-colored tails of Twpaia demissa and Tana chrysura may be a 

 form of partial albinism that has become established in certain areas. 



