THE TUPAIAS. 153 



The third genus — Petrodromus — is represented by one species which 

 inhabits Mozambique. It has the general characteristics of the family, 

 and, as its name implies, is most frequently found in rocky neighbor- 

 hoods. 



THE SQUIRREL SHREWS. 



The family Tupaiad^ embraces three genera divided into ten species. 

 They are often called Squirrels, and have a superficial likeness to 

 these denizens of our forest. They are all natives of the Indian Archi- 

 pelago and the adjoining continent. The head is pointed and ends in 

 a snout usually bare at its blunt extremity, the body is slender, the 

 tail long — sometimes very long and bushy, having two rows of hair 

 hanging equally on each side ; the fur is thick and soft. They have 

 from thirty-eight to forty-four teeth, which are remarkable from the fact 

 that the canines are shorter than the incisors. The eyes are large, the 

 ears rounded, the limbs regular, the feet have bare soles, and the five 

 toes are separated and armed with short, curved claws. The female has 

 four teats. 



The development of the eye indicates their diurnal habits, and the 

 curved claws, that they can climb. 



I.— GENUS TUPAIA. 



The TUPAIA Tana, Tupaia Tana, is the largest of the seven species 

 of this genus. It has a bushy tail with the hair hanging evenly down 

 on each side, large prominent eyes with a bony ring closing in the orbit 

 behind, and thirty-eight teeth. It is distinguished from other species by 

 the great length of its tail, and it wears a dark-brown blackish fur which 

 displays on the underside a ruddy tinge and appears mixed with gray on 

 the head and muzzle. A gray stripe crosses the back of the head, and 

 a dark-brown line runs down the back. Each hair consists of gray 

 and dark-brown rings alternately. It is very nearly the size of the 

 common squirrel. We know little of its wild habits. It is described 

 as an agile, active, merry creature, which uses its crooked claws excel- 

 lently, and climbs with all the skill of an ape. It is not strictlv insec- 

 tivorous — it sometimes eats fruits which it picks from the branches or 

 off the ground. 

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