On West-African Squirrels. 



II. — On some West- African Squirrels, with a Description 

 of a new Species^ and proposed Alteration in the Arrange- 

 ment of the Groups. Bj W. E. D£ WiNTON. 



A NUMBER of squirrels from the French Congo territory have 

 lately been received at the British Museum. Of the so-called 

 Pyrrhopus group, besides the typical form Fiinisciurus 

 pyrrhopus, Cuv., from the Gaboon, there are examples of 

 i^. auriculatus, Matschie, and four specimens of a squirrel — 

 a description of which is given below — from the Benito River, 

 in outward appearance closely resembling F. anerythrus, Thos. 



The fact that these two squirrels are found in the same 

 district is sufficient to prove that they are perfectly distinct 

 species, and not geographical races or subspecies ; the same 

 remark applies to F. anerythrus and F. Fmini, which are 

 found together in Monbuttu. 



The new species and F. anerythrus agree in proportions 

 and general markings, in the want of bright colouring, and 

 in having longer tails than any of their allies; but, as will 

 be shown, the pattern of their molars is so different from one 

 another, that they must be regarded as distinct species. 



F. auriculatus, on the other hand, has the shortest tail of 

 the group, being very closely allied to F. erythrogenys, from 

 Fernando Po, of which species it appears to be only a local 

 form ; and seeing that these two short-tailed forms with grey 

 legs differ so much from F, pyrrhopus, wliich has bright red 

 legs, besides different colouring throughout, and a longer tail, 

 it is most misleading to lump them together ; it will be 

 found more convenient to keep them apart as distinct species. 



The new squirrel may be described as follows : — 



Funisciurus mystax, sp. n. 



The general arrangement of colours as in F. anerythrus, 

 but the prevailing tone more brown than green and the face- 

 markings, especially the moustache, more distinct ; the legs 

 washed with reddish brown ; the side-stripes are so faint in 

 some specimens as hardly to be distinguishable, and on the 

 whole may be said to be less developed than in its near ally ; 

 the underparts are strongly washed with rufous-cinnamon or 

 apricot-colour, the throat paler, the scrotum of the male 

 thickly clothed with grey fur. 



The form of the skull as in other members of the group. 



Measurements of the skull : — 



Greatest length 51*5 millim., greatest breadth 27; length 



