sciuRus 923 



Rcmarlcti. — While this animal is readily distinguishable from 

 the squirrels of central and northern Spain its distinctness from 

 the imperfectly known Sciurus vulgaris bseticus is perhaps open to 

 doubt. In an obviously immature individual, however, the hind 

 foot is 60 mm. in length as opposed to 45 mm. in the type of 

 huiticus. 



2 6,4:9 Sierra do Segura, Albacote, IM. de la Escalcra (c) 8. 9. 24. 1-6. 

 Spain. (8. 9. 23. 3 Tjjpc of subspecies.) 



Sciurus vulgaris b.^^ticus Cabrera. 



1905. Sciurus bn'ticus Cabrera, Bol. Real Soc. Esx^aii. Hist. Nat., v, p. 228, 

 April, 1905. Type in museum of University of Seville. 



1910. Sciitriis vulgaris bivticus Cabrera, Asoc. Espau. Progr. Cien., Congr. 

 Zaragosa, 1908, p. 11, June, 1910. 



1910. Sciurus vulgaris hivticus Trouessart, Faune Mamm. d'Europc, p. 122. 



Tjipe locality. — Alanis, Province of Seville, Spain. 



Geographical distribution. — At present known from the type 

 locality only. 



Diagnosis. — In general much like Sciurus vulgaris segurse, but 

 size considerably less (hind foot only about 50 mm.) and white 

 area on underparts unusually narrow. 



Bonarls. — This squirrel, of which I have seen no specimens, 

 appears to be similar *to Sciurus vulgaris segurm except for its 

 small size, the absence of white in the tail, and the narrowness 

 of the white ventral area. The type is an immature mounted 

 specimen in summer coat ; and its skull has not been examined. 

 The more important parts of the original description are 

 essentially as follows : Probably the smallest of the European 

 forms of the genus Sciurus ; further distinguished * by having the 

 tail unicolor and similar to the body. Pelage a bright reddish 

 chestnut above, white below. The white is not so extensive as 

 in S. vulgaris iufuscatus, being limited to the median portion of 

 the ventral surface. Sides of the face in region of eyes much 

 paler than the rest of the head, approaching a dirty yellowish. 

 Tail of the same colour as the body, uniform, without white 

 hairs on its lower sui'face. Dimensions (approximate) : head and 

 body, 200; tail, 160; hind foot without claws, 50. In a later 

 paper Mr. Cabrera corrects the measurements of tail and hind 

 foot to 135 and 45 mm. respectively, adding that, from informa- 

 tion which he has received he believes the size of the adult 

 animal to be about as in numantius. If this is true it seems not 

 improbable that segurse will prove to be the same as hn'ticus. 



* (from infuscatus). 



