THE BRITISH OR LIGHT-TAILED SQUIRREL 705 
Remarks :—A\\ the specimens dealt with in the foregoing tables were 
in adult pelage; the individuals enumerated include the largest and 
the smallest specimens of each sex in each of the long series examined 
from Blandford and Saffron Walden. Macgillivray states that the female 
is smaller than the male; to some extent this statement is supported 
by the above figures, although the difference is small; the largest males 
appear to exceed by 5 mm. the largest females as regards the length of 
the head and body. 
Weight :—Four from Saffron Walden were weighed, viz., a male 
and a female (Nos. 19 and 14 respectively of the above table) of 12 and 
8 oz., or 340 and 227 grammes respectively ; and two males, one taken 
on 26th April (head and body, 235) of 10 oz. or 283 grammes, the other 
killed on 30th September (head and body, 227) of 9 oz. or 255 grammes. 
A male from Upware, Cambridgeshire, taken on 24th August (head and 
body, 224) weighed 8} oz. or 248 grammes. Three males, killed 26/27 
December, from Co. Wexford (lengths unrecorded), weighed ro, 103, 
and 11} oz., or 283, 298, and 319 grammes respectively. The heaviest, 
of which we have a record, was a male from Ringwood, which reached 
17 oz. or 482 grammes (Corbin, Zoologzst, 1886, 178). 
Skull :—Condylo-basal length, 44 to 48: breadths—zygomatic, 29 
to 31-6; mastoid, 21 to 22-2; least postorbital, 17 to 18-2; least inter- 
orbital, 16 to 18; anterior rostral, 7 to 8-8: lengths—of nasals, 13-8 to 
15:8; of diastema, II to 13; of maxillary tooth-row, 8-8 to 9-6; of 
mandible, 30 to 33-6; of mandibular tooth-row, 8-4 to 9-4. 
The form and habits of this elegant little creature combine 
to render it one of the most beautiful and entertaining of 
our native mammals. Dwelling principally upon trees, but 
frequently descending to the ground, it leaps from bough to 
bough with astonishing agility ; but should it miss its mark it 
usually alights safely like a cat, and runs away little the worse 
for a fall from even a considerable height.1 
Though bold and easily observed, it is subject to fits of 
panic, and exhibits a somewhat contradictory character. Thus, 
although not hesitating to descend to the ground and roam for 
a considerable distance from trees, it will, on the slightest 
alarm, race in a series of long bounds for its leafy refuge. 
With the utmost circumspection it carefully climbs the tree- 
trunk, on the side away from its enemy; but then, perhaps 
thinking itself secure and possibly overcome with indignation 
1 See Editor, /ze/d, 24th September 1893, 473; on the other hand, W. H. Scott, 
zbid., 1900 (95), 771, records the death of one from a fall. 
