270 ~=Dr. J. E. Gray’s Synopsis of the Asiatic Squirrels 
Remark. This species is allied, on the one hand, to the large 
Ptilotis chrysotis, and, on the other, to the small P. gracilis ; 
its most remarkable feature, when compared with those birds, 
is its long and stout bill, which is both longer and stouter than 
that of the former species; in all its other admeasurements it is 
considerably smaller, while they much exceed those of the P. 
gracilis. It is also closely allied to, but quite distinct from, the 
P. similis of the Aru Islands. Gilbert collected this bird at 
Brown’s Lagoon, on the 20th of December, 1844, when travel- 
ling with Leichardt from Moreton Bay to Port Essington; and 
I have lately received specimens through Mr. Jardine from the 
Cape-York district of Queensland. 
XXXV.—Synopsis of the Asiatic Squirrels (Sciuride) in the 
Collection of the British Museum, describing one new Genus 
and some new Species. By Dr. J. KE. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., 
&c. 
Tue Squirrels form a very natural group. The species are very 
difficult to distinguish, on account of the general similarity 
that exists between them, and the variation that the specimens 
of the same kind present. The species appear to have a com- 
paratively limited range, and therefore are most easily divided 
into geographical series. | 
The North-American species have been well studied and de- 
scribed by Dr. Spencer Baird, in his work on the North-American 
Mammalia. 
The species of Asia and, especially, of South and Tropical 
America are very imperfectly known. 
I have been studying the Asiatic specimens in the British 
_ Museum, many of which are the types of the species described 
by Horsfield, Hodgson, Blyth, Kelaart, Sykes, Elliot, Solomon 
Miiller, and myself; and I have attempted to arrange them 
into groups, so as to bring together the species most nearly 
allied, and to enable the student easily to distinguish them. A 
synopsis of the species of Africa and America will follow. In 
these synopses I have confined myself to the study of specimens 
in the Museum Collection, which have been most carefully com- 
pared together. 
The section Sciurine of Sciuride is separated from the 
Arctomyine by the small size of the upper front molar, or by 
its absence (for it is often early deciduous), and by the broad 
rounded form of the inner edge of the grinders. It may be 
thus divided :— é 
