NO. 1498. MAMMALS OF BANKA AND BILLITON— LYON. 587 



(about 3 mm. wide) terminal and subterminal ferruoinous bands on 

 the otherwise black hairs. Some of the other specimens when looked 

 at in certain lig-hts show indistinct aniuilations on the tail, especially 

 Cat. No, 125008, U.8.N.M., the one in worn pelage, which shows 6 

 indistinct blackish brown bands on the tail (15-30 mm. wide) alternat- 

 ing with the dull brown of the rest of the tail. 



Ratufa polia differs from JR. epliijrpiuyn in its marked gray head, in 

 which respect it resembles R. hypoleuca of Sumatra; but in hypoleuca 

 the underparts are white, in marked contrast to the sides, and the 

 head is less white. The affinities of Ratufa polia are clearly with the 

 Bornean form. 



As Jentink identified the Billiton giant squirrel as Sciurus alhlceps 

 Desmarest, the following notes made by Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, jr., on 

 the type in the Paris Museum will prove of interest and show that 

 Ratufa polia needs no comparison with R. alMceps: 



Ratufa albiceps (Desmarest) type, mounted. Adult female, nursing. On base of 

 stand, "Ecureuil a tete blanche de Java, par Leschenault 1808, S. alhlceps (Desm.) 

 type." The specimen represents a species I have never seen. In general it may be 

 described as a small bicolor with normal tail, hut puHiata back so developed that the 

 mantle covers the entire back, sides, and forelegs, allowing the black to appear nowhere 

 except on front feet, a narrow line along posterior edge of front leg and on hind feet, 

 legs, and thighs, the thighs showing some of the characteristic bicolor- speckling; 

 entire head and distal portion of neck white, a fairly well-defined brownish streak 

 7 mm. wide extending back from ear to join brown of neck. Underparts and 

 inner surface of legs dirty yellowish. The light tips of the hairs of the tail are dirty 

 white without trace of yellow; but the yellow may easily have been bleached out. 

 They are about the normal extent for bicolor. Proximal fifth of tail concolor with 

 hind legs — that is, a mixture of blackish and a dull indefinite brown beneath the 

 surface. Lines of demarcation everywhere well defined except between white of 

 head and colors of back and breast. Ears in bad condition, but apparently whitish 

 inside and browaiish outside. Whiskers blackish. Measurements from mounted 

 specimen: Head and body, 350; tail vertebrae, 320; hind foot, 65 (60); outer toe and 

 claw, 21. 



RATUFA POLIA BANCANA, new subspecies. 



Ti/pe.—Adnh male, skin and skull, Cat. No. 121680 U,S.N.M., col- 

 lected at Tanjong Rengsam, island of Banka, east of Sumatra, May 27, 

 1901, by Dr, W, L. Abbott. Original number 3277. 



D'tagwMle characters. — Like Ratufa jxdi a from Billiton, but fore- 

 feet lighter in color, less white on head, and teeth smaller. 



Color. — T3'pe: Upper surface of neck, body, and the sides a grizzle' 

 of ochraceous (a little lighter than that of Ridgway) and brownish or 

 dull black, the latter predominating in the median line, where it forms 

 an ill-defined dark stripe, the two colors equally mixed along the 

 sides. About the shoulder, especially anteriorly and on outer surface 

 of upper arm, the ochraceous is replaced by a dirty white or cream- 

 bufi" color. Lower throat, underparts of body, inner sides of legs, 

 light ochraceous or almost ochraceous-buti'. Nose and cheeks, dirty 



