■Zd. RATUFA IX.SU..X1S, MiM.. 



<J894 ; $ 879. Tanjon^ Tiinit, Bntam IbIiuuI, Rliio AroLipolMK-.. 



(? 1532 ; ? 1533. Takiig Islaiul, Khio AicImihIjij;.,, 



A coinparisoii of the fine sorifs of Rhio Giant Stinin-t-Ih (.l)taiu».<l 

 by this expedition brings us to the coucUisiou that they ou^ht all to bo 

 considered as one species, and that even as sub-speeifK, the rharai t<»rM 

 used by Mr. Miller to separate the dilTerent island foniiH. are mi 

 intangible and so inconstant that their recognition is only di>n)»tfiill_v 

 advisable. For the moment we place the specinit-ns that are tt>jM)t _vp*'H 

 under their respective island names, leaving those from Batam and 

 Talang simply as i?. //^^•/f//; /,«•'. 



That the different island forms overlap in thfir characttrs iH a fact 

 beyond dispute, as these specimens clearly show, and we are more than 

 ever convinced, that the use of binomials fur such forniH is a vt-ry 

 great mistake. 



[Apparently scarce on Batam, as the two specimens listtnl ulwvo 

 were the only ones seen by a party of six in over a fortuifrht. whilf 

 Kloss never met with it on two visits. Seimund reports it r.s <omni«>u 

 on Talang. 



All the Giant Squirrels are inhabitants of high juuglfH except 

 in the fruit season when they occasionally visit orchards. Tlioy kit-p 

 to the tops of lofty trees, are solitary in their habits, and. when 

 alarmed, give utterance to a loud chattering, which is sonu-tiines inward 

 in the jungle at night. The very special liability of membTs of this 

 genus to rapid and extensive bleaching causes great difficuliy in the 

 recognition of the very numerous geographical races into wh'eh tjie 

 original B. ephippium has now been split uj).— H. C. K. and C. H K.] 



29. RATUFA INSIGXIS CVUIMONKXSIS. Mil r,. 



<?15i4. 1551, 15.53; ? L 47. 155u, 1552. 15.5.5, 1.5.50. Sohatak. Kariinon 



Island, Rhio Archipelago. 

 S 1634. Monos. Karimon Island, Khio Archipolnpo. 

 ? 1372. Pcmeral, Karimon Island, Rhio Archii.clngo. 



Topotypes. 



[Very common. — E. S.] 



30. RATl'FA INSI(;NIS COXDIUIIXM^, Mii.L. 



<? 1493; 9 1470, 1472. Bliuh, Kandur Island, Rhio Archii»clngo. 

 Topotypes. 

 [Common. — PJ. S.] 



:n. RATIFA INSIt.MS (ONM'UIA. MiM. 

 <J790. 809; ?807, SiU. Sunjroi Him, Bintnntr lulnn.l, Hhio ArrhipcUgo, 



Topotvpes. 



[This'species was common only in n patch of high j.in«le M tlje 

 extren.e north-east end of Bmtang Island and wa. r-^hcr *ljffi.ujt 

 to get, as it kept to the extreme top>. of very lofty tr«».-H. t. B, wa 

 C. B. K.l 



Pec, 1000. 



