SCIURIDA.—SPERMOPHILUS ANNULATUS. 887 
curved. The pelage is coarser, much harsher and stiffer even than in Sper- 
mophilus grammurus, and the hairs are, in like manner, conspicuously grooved 
above. The transverse barring of the tail distinguishes this species among 
all the American Sciuride. 
This species was first described by Audubon and Bachman, in 1842, in 
the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. These 
authors republished their description, with a figure, in their Quadrupeds of 
North America, in 1851. The single specimen that served as the basis for 
their description and figure was presented to them by Professor Baird, respect- 
ing which these authors say :—‘‘The specimen we have described was obtained 
on the western prairies; the locality was not particularly stated. It was 
politely presented to us by Mr. Spencer F°. Baird, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.”* 
In republishing this account nine years later, they add, after the word prairies, 
“we believe on the east of the Mississippi River”.t Professor Baird, in 
alluding to this species in 1857, says:—‘‘The animal described under this 
name [Spermophilus annulatus| by Audubon and Bachman was purchased by 
me from a dealer many years ago and presented to Mr. Audubon. It was 
supposed to have been brought from the west, and, as such, was described 
by the above authors. I have, however, little doubt that it is an African 
species of Sciurus, and, in fact, it resembles closely, if it be not identical with, 
the Sciurus rufobrachiatus of Fraser, in Zoologia Typica, said by him to be 
closely related to the Sciwrus annulatus of Western Africa. In any event, 
it must be eliminated from the list of North American Spermophiles.” t 
Andrew Murray, in 1866, referred this species to Sciurus rufobrachiatum 
of Waterhouse, and speaks of it as follows :—‘ Dr. Baird says that Audubon 
and Bachman had been deceived in the locality of the species which they 
described under this name [Spermophilus annulatus], supposing it to have 
been an American Sjermophile, while, in fact, it was a West African 
Squirrel.” §. 
Here, at last, it is positively asserted to be a West African species, and 
is referred to the genus Sciurus. It is, however, not only a true Spermophile, 
but proves to be beyond question an inhabitant of the Plains of Western 
Mexico. The original type of the species appears to have been lost. From 
Audubon and Bachman’s very careful description and figure of it, there can 
* Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. vol. viii, p. 228. ¢ Mum. N. Amer. p. 327. 
t Quad. N. Amer. vol. ii, p. 215. § Geog. Distr. Mam. p. 354. 
