704 



MONOGllAPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN RODENTIA. 



iMi- 



that are pure glossy black throughout. No. 1499 (Coll. M. C. Z.) has the 

 upper surface dusky, varied with pale yellowish-brown, especially anteriorly 

 and on the sides; beneath, yellowish-rufous, more or less varied with black. 

 No. 1496 (Coll. M. C. Z.) is blacker above, with the lower parts dusky, annu- 

 latod with yellowish-brown, the two colors being in about equal proportions. 

 Several other specimens from the same lot differ only in being sometimes 

 more and sometimes less varied with pale yellowish-brown above, and in the 

 greater or less amount of dusky below. Other specimens, from Wayne 

 County, New York, and from Cook County, Illinois, are almost precisely simi- 

 lar, though each, otj close inspection, is found to vary more or less, in some 

 feature or another, from all of the others. No. 1057 (Cook Co., 111., Nov., 

 1855) is glossy black above, sparsely varied with gamboge on the sides and 

 below, forming the last stage in the transition to those which are glossy black 

 throughout. •■.■ 



. ;. : Var. CAHOLINEN8I8. 



Southern Gray Squirrel. 



Varietal cbaks — Length of body about 9.50 inches, ranging from 8.50 to 

 10.25 ; tail-vcrtebrse about 8.00, ranging from 7.50 to 8.75 ; tail to end of hairs 

 about 10.50, ranging from 9.00 to 1 ] .50. Above, brownish-yellow, varied with 

 black, with generally the sides of the neck, shoulders, and thighs mixed with 

 whitish ; beneath, white. Differs from var. leucotis in its smaller size, and in 

 the general color of the dorsal surface being yellowish-brown instead of 

 whitish-gray. In the majority of specimens, the white-tipped hairs that in 

 var. le'rotui give a whitish aspect to the whole dorsal surface (excepting over 

 a restricted central area) are either wholly wanting in var. carolinensis or give 

 merely a faint grayish cast to the sides of the neck, the shoulders, and thighs. 

 In other words, tlie fulvous suffusion that pervades the pelage beneath the 

 surface in var. leucotin reaches the surface in var. carolinensis, thereby dis- 

 placing the superficial white tint seen in var. ieucoti.s. The transition in color 

 is evidently effected by the extension of the limited brownish dorsal area 

 usually seen in var. leucotis till it occupies the whole of the dorsal surface, 

 accompanied with an increase in the intensity of the tint. The general color 

 above of var. caroUnenMS is mixed yellowish- brown and black, instead of 

 white, black, and yellowish-brown, with white for the prevalent tint, as in 

 leucotls. 



