GIANT SQUIRRELS OF BURMAII AND MALAY PENINSULA 73 



suffusion occasionally appears on the nape in fresh pelage ; but the dif- 

 ferent quality of the fur will at once distinguish such marking from 

 the effect of sunburn ; while the hairs are never annulatcd as in the 

 related species Ratiifa pyrsonota. This species is closely related to 

 the Javan Ratufa bicolor^ but differs in the clear black of the upper- 

 parts. 



RATUFA AFFINIS (Raffles). 



1822. Sciurus affinis Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, xiii, p. 259. 



Type locality. — Singapore. 



Characters. — Size less than that of the other giant squirrels of the 

 Malay Peninsula (total length about 700 mm., hind foot about 75 

 mm.); ears not tufted; general color grayish brown or yellowish 

 brown above, the hairs without annulation, d7ill white below in ab- 

 rtipt and striking contrast ; skull with nasal bones expanded pos- 

 teriorly, and with deep, heavaly built mandible. 



Color. — In fresh pelage : back a fine grizzle of ecru drab, Isabella 

 color and grayish white, the under fur entirely Isabella color, the 

 longer hairs whitish at base and Isabella color at extreme tip but not 

 annulated, the general effect intermediate between the drab and ecru 

 drab of Ridgway. On shoulders and neck the ecru drab and grayish 

 white predominate, giving way posteriorly to the Isabella color which 

 also becomes more pronounced along middle of sides, to deepen on 

 lower part of sides and outer surface of front legs to cinnamon, and on 

 thighs to brownish russet. The hairs of the darker areas of outer 

 side of thighs and front legs are obscurely annulated at tip. The cin- 

 namon forms a distinct band on sides separating color of back 

 (into which it fades) from whitish cream buff of belly. Top of 

 head like shoulders and neck, but somewhat darker; cheeks griz- 

 zled hair brown, this color continuous across chin in a band about 

 15 mm. wide; sides of muzzle dull whitish, the pale area extend- 

 ing back a short distance along upper lip ; upper part of muzzle 

 marked with seal brown. Ears seal brown externally, grizzled hair 

 brown internally. Whiskers black. J^ect white or light grizzled 

 biiff. Tail dull ochraceous buff above, marked with about fifteen 

 faintly shaded cross bars of drab, and tinged with drab at tip. The 

 hairs are all buffy white at extreme base, and this color appears irregu- 

 larly and inconspicuously along median line. Lower surface of tail 

 much like upper, but distinctly clouded with bister, and with the cross 

 bars even less noticeable. The buffy white bases of the hairs form a 

 distinct median longitudinal area about 25 mm. in width, divided 



