61 



pests, which appear to build their rude nests and to live as content- 

 edly on our houses as they do about trees. My own idea is that " S. 

 " palmarum" is not indigenous to the Northern Circars, but that from 

 some southern resting place he followed that fine avenue of trees, 

 that for scores of miles together marks out the northern road ; and 

 that Samulcottah being off this direct line and severed from this 

 avenue by cross-roads without trees, the squirrels passed over the 

 turns branching off to Samulcottah at Rajahnagram and Juggum- 

 pettah, and went on their way to the north.* My present impression 

 is that they were not to be found at Russelcondah ; but in this I may 

 be mistaken. Troublesome as he is from his impudent familiarity 

 and shrill squeaking voice, which reminds me more of the imitations 

 of barking that issue from some toys than as Mr. Blyth says at page 

 171 of Jerdon, " the chirping of birds" the beauty of this little 

 squirrel causes most of his offences to be forgiven. They do vast 

 mischief to gardeners, but it should be remembered that they are of 

 great use by destroying many insects, especially white-ants, beetles, 

 both in their perfect and larval stage, &c. They are said to destroy 

 the eggs of small birds, but I have never observed this myself. 



As might be expected from their habits, they are very easily 

 tamed. This I know to my cost for one little wretch, that, in a 

 weak-minded moment I rescued from a cat, lived for some weeks 

 almost entirely in my pockets ; into one of which however having 

 crept when I was asleep -he was overlaid and troubled me no more. 

 They are exceedingly active ; far more so I think than, the Bur- 

 mese tupia, whose great agility, or at any rate, that of a very closely 

 allied species, is mentioned at page 65 of Jerdon, and whose habits 

 as mentioned at page 12 of these notes are very much the same as 

 these squirrels. Jerdon may well say at page 171 : " Why it was 

 " named the " palm squirrel," has often puzzled the Indian Natu- 

 " ralist, for though occasionally seen on palm trees, it is so 

 " exceedingly rarely." The reason is, I imagine, that its godfather 

 intended to imply that it was the most common Indian squirrel, 

 and like many painters, thinking that there could not be an Indian 

 scene without palm trees, he jumbled the two ideas together and 

 christened his bantling accordingly. 



* Vide Memoranda following page 79.VAOKAST, 



