PROCEKDINGS 



OF THE 



WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Vol. II, pp. 69-77. July 25, 1900. 



THE GIANT SQi^IRRELS OF BURMAH AND THE 

 MALAY PENINSULA. 



By Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. 



At least four giant squirrels occur in Burmah and the Malay- 

 Peninsula.^ They are currently united under the name Raliifa 

 ' hicolor ' notwithstanding the facts that their characters are well 

 defined and that the Sciurus hicolor of Sparram was a Javan 

 animal. The species may be distinguished as follows : 

 Nasal bones scarcely or not at all expanded posteriorly ; teeth rela- 

 tively heavy ; color of upperparts (in fresh pelage) black or 

 blackish brown, sometimes a little yellowish tinged. 

 Hind foot about 90 (85) ; outer surface of front legs entirely 



black; ears tufted Ratufa gigantea. 



Hind foot about 80 (75) ; outer surface of front legs partly yel- 

 lowish brown; ears not tufted Ratiifa Dtela^topcpla. 



Nasal bones conspicuously expanded posteriorly; teeth relatively 

 light ; color of upperparts (in fresh pelage) yellowish brown 

 or grayish brown. 

 Hind foot under So (75); mandible heavily built; underparts 



whitish in strong contrast with back Ratufa affinis. 



Hind foot over So (75) ; mandible lightly built; underparts dark 

 yellowish brown in slight contrast with back.. i?a/z//«/j/'^o«o/a. 



1 These are represented in the United States National Museum chiefly by 

 material presented by Dr. W. L. Abbott. This paper is published here by per- 

 mission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., July, 1900. (^) 



