144 



Varied or Striped Squirrels. 

 COQUALLIN. 



Sciuras Variegatus. 5. corpore supra nigro atbo fuscoquf varie- 

 gato. Lin Syst. Nat. Gnu 1. p. 151. 



Subferruginous Squirrel, orange-tawny beneath, with the upper 

 parts varied transversely with black brown and whitish un- 

 dulations. 



Le Coquallin. Buff. 13. p. 109. pi. 3. 



Varied Squirrel. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. 147. 



The title of Coquallin, applied to this animal, 

 was instituted by the Count de Buffon, as an elegant 

 abbreviation of the sesquipedalian name Quauhte- 

 collotlquapachtli, by which it is said to have been 

 called by the Mexicans. It is about twice the size 

 of a common squirrel, and is transversely varie- 

 gated on the upper part of the body with numerous 

 undulations of black, white, and orange-brown, the 

 under part being orange-tawny : the head, tail, and 

 limbs, are dusky, and the ears and muzzle whitish. 

 The manners of this species are somewhat differ- 

 ent from those of the generality of Squirrels, 

 since it does not reside on trees, but in holes un- 

 der their roots, where it brings forth its young, and 

 deposits a magazine of grain and fruits for winter 

 use. It is a native of Mexico, and is said to vary 

 in size, being sometimes scarce larger than a com- 

 mon squirrel. It also varies as to the distinctness or 

 intensity both of the ground colour and variega- 

 tions, and sometimes exhibits only an appearance 

 of brown streaks on a ferruginous or reddish- 



