276 U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



satisfied me that the peculiar annulation of the under fur is either a condition of the winter 

 fur or else indicates a more or less permanent variety, such as the squirrels are so subject to. 

 This is also the opinion of Dr. Cooper, who is very familiar with the living animal. The 

 description of the supposed species, as prepared at the time, will be found in the accompanying 

 foot note. 1 



The changes with season would then be as follows : 



In summer, the color beneath is of a uniform bright rusty or tan color, the hairs without any 

 annulation whatever. The ears are more or less tufted, with long hairs growing from their 

 dorsal surface. The soles are hairy to the posterior third, the region behind the tubercles being 

 naked. This character, however, as well as that of the tufts on the ears, varies with the speci 

 men in those killed in the same season. 



In winter, especially about Puget's Sound, the fur becomes much fuller and softer, the tufts 

 on the ears increase, the soles become densely hairy to the very bases of the large tubercles at 

 the roots of the toes, the colors beneath are much more cinereous, and, in most cases, the hairs 

 are tipped or annulated subterminally with dusky. The upper surfaces of the hind feet have 

 lost their bright and uniform rufous color by a mixture of black. The tail appears to undergo 

 little change. 



1 SCIURUS SUCKLETI. SP. CH. Larger than S. hudsonius. Tail much shorter than the body ; very flat. Ears tufted. 

 Under surface of feet densely clothed with hair to the bases of the toes. Fur full and soft. 



Above, mixed chestnut, brown, and black ; beneath, ferruginous, with hairs intermixed of black and black and rusty 

 annulated. A dusky line along the sides. Tail black at the end, margined laterally all round with rusty white ; the hairs 

 annulated, except at tip, with chestnut and black, like the back ; (lighter below.) 



Size larger than that of S. hudsonius, to which it is closely allied in characters. The head is short and broad ; the 

 whiskers black and longer than the head. The ears appear shorter than they really are from being in a measure buried by 

 the long fur of the back ; that between the ears being nearly half an inch long. The interior surface or concavity thickly 

 covered with short hairs ; the exterior coated with soft long hairs ; these, near the upper margin, projecting beyond it to 

 the extent of four lines in a flattened tuft. Fur everywhere fuller, longer, and softer than in other species examined. 

 Tail much flattened, though not broad ; considerably shorter than the body. Extremities not long ; on the fore foot the 

 third toe is longest ; the second scarcely shorter ; second a little longer than fifth or exterior ; palms naked. On the hind 

 feet the third and fourth toes are about equal ; the fifth reaches to their claw ; the claw of the first extends beyond the 

 base of that of the fifth. The sole is entirely hairy to the base of the toes, the under surface of the tarsus being densely 

 covered ; and the hairs on the outside of all the extremities generally longer and fuller than usual, not lying close pressed 

 as in most other species. 



Above and on sides, including two-thirds of the tail, is a finely mixed black and rusty brown, or chestnut brown, much 

 as in S. dauglassii. Beneath, the hairs are of a dull ferruginous or buff, mixed with others either black or annulated 

 black and rusty. This is only visible, however, when examined closely, and at a short distance the general impression is 

 that of a dull ferruginous. The chin, sides of the snout, and a ring round the eye are purer ferruginous. The outer surfaces 

 of the feet are grizzled, rusty, and black, nowhere of the uniform tint of other species. There is a dusky line on the 

 flanks, separating the colors of the sides from those of the belly ; this appears to run more into the belly pc stcriorly than 

 usual. 



The tail, as already stated, is very much flattened, though narrow ; in shape not much unlike that of Pteromys, though 

 not so soft. The upper surface is much like the back, though with a brownish chestnut tinge and coarser annulations. 

 It is black at the extremity and margined all round (sides and tip) with rusty white, darkest on the latter. The single 

 hairs at the tip of the tail are black, except at the extremities ; those on the rest of the tail are dark brown or brownish 

 lead color at the base, and annulated with black and dull chestnut, (brightest above ;) these mixed with hairs almost 

 entirely black. All those on the sides of the tail are tipped with rusty white. 



This species is readily distinguishable from its nearest ally, S. dauglassii, by the softer and longer fur ; more flattened tail, 

 hairy soles, and the mixture of black and annulated hairs on the under parts, a feature rarely observed in other species. 

 S. mottipilosus has no dark line on the sides ; no tufts to the ear ; the middle of abdomen is cinereous, not ferruginous ; the 

 tail is longer and not so much flattened. The tail is without the continuous rusty white border. S. fuliginosus, Bach., from 

 Louisiana, is said to exhibit the annulations of the hairs below ; but the prevailing color there is brownish ; the prevailing 

 color of the tail, black above ; the ears are clothed with short hair ; there is no dusky stripe on the side, nor a rusty 

 white border to the tail ; the geographical distribution, too, is very widely remote. P. lantiginosut agrees in character of 

 fur as to softness and length, but it has the feet entirely hairy to the claws ; Ihe under parts, too, are pure white, with 

 other differences. 



