SCIURUS ELPHINSTONEI. 167 



About the same size as the last. This race inhabits Central India, 

 whence often brought alive to Calcutta. I have seen it in the forests at 

 the foot of the Puchmurri hills, near Seonee, and in the vast jungles of 

 Bustar, where it is very abundant ; also in Goomsoor. 



Blyth remarks that it is very constant to its particular type of 

 coloration, " apparently never varying." 



150. Sciurus Elphinstonei. 



SYKES, Cat. JS. lombayanus, apud SCHINZ. ELLIOT, Cat. 43, var. 

 Shekra, Mahr. of the Ghats. Kes annalu, Can. of the Halapyks. 



THE BOMBAY RED SQUIRREL. 



Descr. Ears and the whole upper surface of the body, and halfway 

 down the tail, outside the hind-legs, and halfway down the fore-legs 

 outside, of an uniform rich reddish-chestnut ; the whole under surface of 

 the body from the chin to the vent, inside of the limbs and lower part 

 of the fore-legs, crown of head, cheeks and posterior half of the tail, of 

 a fine reddish-white, the two colours being separated by a defined line, 

 and not merging into each other j feet light red j forehead and nose 

 reddish-brown, with some white hairs intermixed. Ears tufted. 



Length of one, head and body, 20 inches ; tail 18. 



The Bombay red squirrel is found in the northern portion of the 

 Western Ghats, extending into north Malabar. It is probably the 

 species found on the Mahableshwar hills. Mr. Elliot records S. maximus 

 as being the species of the forest of the Southern Mahratta country, 

 but alludes to this as a variety found in the Ghats. 



These three well-marked races or species have similar habits, dwelling 

 in lofty forests, and making a large nest near the top of the tallest trees. 

 Their voice is a loud quickly-repeated cry, which Sykes syllabises as 

 chook-cliook-chook. Many are taken young and brought to Calcutta 

 and other large towns for sale, and they become very tame. They are 

 awkward in their gait on the ground, but most active on trees, jumping 

 from bough to bough with amazing agility. I am unable to define the 

 geographic limits of each race more than what I have noted under the 

 species. Many years ago I saw a large colony of one of these races in 

 a wood near Kotagherry, on the Neelgherries, which was perhaps 

 S. Malabaricus ; but I have an impression that it might have been 

 S. macrourus, or 8. Tennantii. 



