1G6 SCIURHXE. 



pencilled ears. They are peculiar to South-eastern Asia, including the 

 Archipelago as far as Borneo, attaining their maximum in India. Of these 

 Blyth, though retaining them as species, remarks in a foot-note, Cat. 

 Mammal., p. 98, ' ' It is difficult to conceive of the whole series as other 

 than permanent varieties of one species."* There are two or three 

 nearly allied species or races inhabiting the peninsula of India, wherever 

 there are large and lofty forests, but the specific distinctions and the 

 exact geographic limits of each yet require much investigation. 



148. Sciurus malabaricus. 



SCHINZ. JS. maximus, apud BLYTH, Cat. 307. HORSFIELD, Cat. 209. 

 Jungli gillieri, H. 



THE MALABAR SQUIRREL. 



Descr. Ears, nape, back of neck, the back and sides of the body, 

 bright maroon-chestnut ; the posterior part of the back, rump, and upper 

 portion of all the limbs, and the tail, black ; forehead and interocular 

 regions brownish ; muzzle and cheeks rufous ; neck, breast, and lower 

 parts dingy-yellow ; feet rufous in front, yellow internally ; ears small, 

 rounded, very hairy. 



Length, head and body, 16 to 18 inches ; tail with the hair 20-21. 



This race inhabits the southern portions of Malabar, the Wynaad, 

 slopes of the Neelgherries, Travancore, <fec. &c. 



149. Sciurus maximus. 



SCHREBER. ELLIOT, Cat. 43. Sc. No. 308, BLYTH, Cat. (sine nomine). 

 K6t berrdl, Bengal. Kondeng of Coles. Karrdt, Hindi. Rasu and 

 Ratuphar, at Monghyr. Bet-udatd, Tel. Per-warsti of Gonds. 



THE CENTRAL INDIAN RED SQUIRREL. 



Descr. Similar to the last, but there is never any black on the croup 

 or thighs, and less on the fore limbs ; the tail more or less black or deep 

 maroon above, usually with a pale yellowish tip ; the under parts are 

 more or less deeply coloured. 



* Theoretically I quite agree with Blyth, but practically we must distinguish 

 them as species, as indeed he himself does ; and the same remark might be applied 

 with more or less reason to many other groups of animals. 



