SCIURID®—TAMIAS STRIATUS. 785 
than those from more northern sections, and average a little smaller. The 
difference, however, in either respect, is not very great. 
This species is easily distinguished from its congeners by its coloration, 
as well as by other characters. Its nearest ally is the 7. asiaticus; from the 
others (7. harrisi and T. lateralis), it is too distinct to require a comparison 
with them. The northern and eastern varieties of T. asiaticus (vars. borealis, 
pallidus, and quadrivittatus) differ from T. striatus in their considerably 
smaller size, in having the tail relatively longer (with the hairs as long as the 
head and body, instead of one-fourth shorter), and in having, the markings on 
the sides of the head much stronger, and the black stripe of the dorsal sur- 
face broader (nearly or quite equalling the interspaces, instead of very much 
narrower), and continued much further, both anteriorly and posteriorly, the 
three middle ones reaching the base of the tail instead of terminating con- 
siderably in front of it. The inner light stripes are also not only much nar- 
rower but much lighter-colored than in 7. striatus. The Columbia River 
variety of J. asiaticus (var. townsendi) is about equal in size to T. striatus, 
but differs from it in proportions in the same way as do the other varieties 
of T. asiaticus. The coloration, however, is still more widely different 
through the much browner coloration of var. townsendi.  T. striatus differs 
from all the other members of the genus in possessing only one upper pre- 
molar instead of two, and in its more elongated and narrower muzzle. 
SYNONYMY AND NOMENCLATURE.—This species was first described and 
figured by Catesby (though previously mentioned by Sagard-Théodat and 
other early writers*), in 1743,f under the name Sciurus striatus. This 
* These early accounts are of especial interest from their giving the origin of the name Suisse, so 
generally applied to this and the following species by the French settlers of Canada and their descend- 
ants, even to the present time. In describing the Squirrels of Canada, Sagard-Théodat says :—“ La se- 
conde espece qu’ils appelent Okihoin, & nous Suisse, 4 cause de leur begarure, sont ceux qui sont rayez & 
barrez universellement par tout le corps, d’une raye blanche, puis d’une rousse, grize & noiraste, qui les 
rendent tres-beaux & agreables, mais qui mordent comme perdus, s’ils ne sont apprivoisez, ou que Von 
ne s’en donne de garde.” —( Histoire du Canada, tome vy, p. 746.) Denys, in his “ Deseription de VAmérique 
Septentrionale” (tome ii, pp. 331), published in 1672, says of the same species:—‘.... ily ena une 
espece un pue plus petite qui se nomme Suisse parce qu’ils sont tous rayez de la teste a la queué par rayes 
blanche, rousse & noire toutes d’une mesmo larguer d’environ la moitié dun travers de doigt.” 
La Hontan also says:—‘“ Les Keureuils Suisses, sont de petits animaux comme de petits rats. On 
les appellent Suisses parce qu’ils ont sur le corps un poil rayé de noir & de blanc, qui ressemble & un pour- 
point de Suisse, & que ces mémes rayes faisant un rond sur chaque cuisse ont beaucoup de raport a la 
calote d’un Suisse.”—( Nouv. Voy. dans V Amér. tome ii, p. 43.) Charlevoix, writing somewhat later, says, 
in his account of the Squirrels of Canada:—“ On en distingue de trois especes; les rouges, qui ne diffe- 
rent point des nétres ; les Suisses, qui sont un peu plus petits, & qu’on a ainsi nommés, parce que leur poil 
est rayé en longueur de rouge, de blanc & de noir, & peu prés comme les Suisses de la Garde du Pape.” — 
(Journ. Hist. @un Voy. de V Amér. Sept. p. 198.) 
tThe description and figure given by Seba, in 1734, of his “ Sciurus, Getulus, ex Novd Hispania” 
(Thesan. i, 76, pl. xlvii, fig. 3), is doubtless to be referred to one of the species of Tamias, but whether to 
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