NO. 1537. NOTES OX MA ifMA LS OF TXBrANA—TrAIIX. 457 



there are no good cranial or anatomical characters by which it can 

 be distinguished from S. c. leucotis. At Aylesworth I obtained fairly 

 typical leucotis, and also one specimen which closely resembles the 

 type of liypophseus. Besides these specimens there were others, 

 illustrating various degrees of melanism. In one the back is essen- 

 tially the same as in normal gray squirrels, but the underparts are 

 somewhat darker, while others are darker both on the back and the 

 underparts, and a few are almost entirely black, the gray annulations 

 of the hair being scarcely noticeable. The series is not large enough 

 to show complete intergradation, but it indicates that leucotis prob- 

 ably does intergrade with the black squirrels through "Jiypopliseus/' 

 If the latter form were valid it would be an instance of two closel}' 

 related subspecies living at the same locality, and the improbability 

 of this is another reason for regarding liypophseus as a synonym of 

 leucotis. 



In the Kankakee Valley the gray squirrel is found chiefly in the 

 more densely wooded swamps. At Mountayr it is unknown, and at 

 Bluegrass Landing it is rare, but m the swamps south of Aylesworth 

 it is very abundant on both sides of the river. Measurements of 

 specimens collected at this locality are as follows: Average cranial 

 measurements of 4 adults. Cat. No's. 141716, 141718, 141719, 141722, 

 U.S.N.M. (2 males and 2 females). Basilar length, 46 mm.; pala- 

 tilar length, 26.4; zygomatic breadth, 33; palatal breadth (measured 

 from imier side of anterior premolars), 8.2; greatest height of cra- 

 nium above palate, 20; length of audital bullee, 11.1. Skin meas- 

 urements (average of 4 males. Cat. Nos. 141716, 141718, 141720, 

 141721, U.S.N.M., and 3 females. Cat. Nos. 141717, 141719, 141722, 

 U.S.N.M.), total length, 470 mm.; tail, 220; hind foot, 61. 



SCIURUS NIGER RUFIVENTER E. Geoffrey. 

 FOX saXJIRREL. 



The fox squirrel is common at each of the places visited, and is 

 found both in the swamps and in the groves on the liigher ground. 

 Albinos are sometimes taken in this region. Average cranial meas- 

 urements of 4 specimens, Cat Nos. 141712-141715, U.S.N.M., from 

 Aylesworth are as follows: Basilar length, 50.6 mm.; palatilar length, 

 28.6; zygomatic breadth, 36.6; palatal breadth measured from inner 

 side of anterior premolar, 8.2; greatest height of cranium above pal- 

 ate, 20.5; length of audital bulhr, 10.8. Average skin measurements 

 of the same specimens: Total length, 545 mm.; tail, 247; hind foot, 

 63.6. 



