1899-] Allen, Five New American Rodents. 1 7 



Type, No. |ff, $ ad., Caparo, Trinidad, March 19, 1894. Collected 

 by Frank M. Chapman. 



This species differs from Sciurus hoffmanni (Peters) in being 

 less dark above, in the rather brighter tint of the under parts, 

 and in the red of the tail being of a much darker shade, chest- 

 nut red instead of orange red. It is also somewhat smaller. In 

 S. chapmani the rostral portion of the skull is narrower, and the 

 fronto-parietal suture is transverse or a little concave anteriorly, 

 while in S. hoffmanni there is a sharp convexity backward at the 

 median line. 



Both S. hoffmanni and S. chapmani differ very strongly from the 

 Brazilian S. cestuans in much larger size and much deeper colors, 

 particularly of the underparts and the tail. 



The series of Trinidad Squirrels on which the present species 

 is based were referred provisionally in 1893 (/. c.) to Sciurus 

 cestuans hoffmanni Peters, with the remark that these ten 

 specimens " prove to be much nearer subspecies hoffmanni from 

 Costa Rica, both in size and coloration, than to the true 

 cestuans of Brazil, although clearly intermediate between the two, 

 as respects both size and coloration." While this statement is 

 true, an examination since of considerable additional material 

 from Costa Rica, Colombia, and Brazil, renders it evident that 

 the Trinidad form is sufficiently distinct to warrant recognition 

 as an insular form of the group. It is furthermore evident that 

 true cestuans and hoffmanni should be recognized as distinct 

 species. At least I have seen no specimens that connect the two 

 forms. 



This species is named for my colleague, Mr. Frank M. Chap- 

 man, in recognition of his important contribution to our 

 knowledge of Trinidad mammals and birds. 



