GIANT SQUIRRELS OF BURIVIAH AND MALAY PENINSULA 75 



Malay Peninsula arc infinitesimal ly small. It is worthy of note that 

 the seasonal changes in color of this squirrel were described though 

 not fully interpreted by Raflles. 



RATUFA PYRSONOTA sp. nov. 



Type. — Adult male (skin and skull) no. S34S3 United States Na- 

 tional Museum, collected in Trong, Lower Siam, September 29, 1896, 

 by Dr. W. L. Abbott. 



Characters. — General ajjpcarance much as in Ratufa affiitis., but 

 size larger (essentially as in R. inelanopephi) and color throughout 

 darker and iiiore rich, the underparts tavony yellowish brown scarcely 

 contrasted with that of sides and back ; hairs of back noticeably an- 

 nulated near tip ; skull with nasal bones as in Ratufa affinis^ but 

 mandible slender and lightly built. 



Color. — Back, sides, outer surface of legs, and top of head uniform 

 grizzled ochraceous, the general effect almost exactly matching No. 7 

 of Ridgway's Plate V. The individual hairs are all slate gray at base 

 (this color does not appear at surface), those of the soft underfur light 

 ochraceous at tip, those of the longer fur ochraceous at middle then 

 dark tawny to tip, each, however, with a sharply defined subterminal 

 band of light buff about 2 mm. in width. The color is remarkably 

 uniform over entire dorsal surface, but is faintly paler across shoulders 

 and darker in lumbar region. On sides, flanks and thighs it becomes 

 more nearly tawny ochraceous and the speckling due to the light subter- 

 minal bars nearly disappears. Outer side of thigh with conspicuous 

 patch, 40—50 mm. in length, of whitish cream buff, lying mostly 

 within the area occupied by the color of the side but bordering on the 

 area of color of ventral surface. This pale area although not sharply 

 defined is very noticeable, and none of the specimens are without it. 

 Underparts of body and inner surface of legs clear ochraceous to base 

 of hairs in very slight contrast with color of sides (such difference as 

 •there is mainly due to absence of speckling on ventral surface), darker 

 on throat, under side of neck, and middle of belly, paler on inner sur- 

 face of legs. Cheeks and chin grizzled hair brown. Side of muzzle 

 whitish ; top of muzzle seal brown. Ears clear seal brown externally, 

 grizzled hair brown internally. I^eet clear seal brown or occasionally 

 somewhat less dark, but never grizzled. Whiskers black. Tail very 

 dark Prouts brown turning to rather light burnt umber at tip, the 

 whitish bases of the hairs appearing inconspicuously at surface 

 *above and much more noticeably below. Line of short hairs on 



