50 Mr. J. L. Bonhote on Squirrels of 



of the still lost smaller weasel of Egypt, the status of which 

 has been already discussed by Mr. Oldtield Thomas *. The 

 original description, which is in Latin, is rather peculiar, and 

 interesting enough to merit reproduction here. It runs as 

 follows : — " Quarta Mustelinorum forma Mustelce vidgari ad- 

 moduni affinis est. In itinere Mustelce suhpalmatce nomine earn 

 distinximus, digiti enim membrana latius conjuncti erant, 

 statura minor. In domibus a3gyptiacis Cahirse et Alexandrise 

 murium vulgaris socius. Alarum (aiXovpou) non hanc, sed 

 Felem Buhustis cum F. maniculata fuisse serius docebo,'"] 



IV. — Oil Squirrels of the Sciurus MacClellandi Group. 

 By J. L. Bonhote. 



From a close and careful examination of a large series of 

 skins of this species from India and China it seems to me 

 that the following races may be easily distinguished. The 

 most noticeable feature of the group is their variability in a 

 very small area, and it will be seen that there are no less than 

 three forms to be found in the province of Fokien, China, and 

 specimens of all three kinds may be obtained within an easy 

 radius of one place, namely Kuatun. At first I was inclined 

 to regard it as an instance of polymorphism, but a further 

 investigation has satisfied me that such is not the case. In 

 the first place, the differences between the three forms are 

 constant and there is little or no variation among themselves ; 

 secondly, one form [Sicinhoei) is apparently different in 

 habits, being never found amongst the tall conifers, as is the 

 habit of all the other races, but being always found on the 

 ground and among low scrub. With regard to the other two 

 toims, the typical locality of the one is Foochow, on the sea- 

 coast, and of the other Cliing Feng Ling, a village about 

 2000 feet up in the mountains ; that they should both be 

 tound at Kuatun is not surprising, since Kuatun f is a 

 village halfway up a high mountain, and it may well be that 

 the form which inhabits the valley should be different from 

 that found at a greater altitude. Of the Indian races there is 

 nothing much to be said ; those from Tenasserim and the 

 Straits Settlements are, as might be expected, much brighter 

 than those from the north, while specimens from Manipur 

 show a very interesting intermediate stage. 



* P. Z. S. 1895, pp. 128-131. 



t O. Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1898, p. 769. 



