498 Observations on the Palm Squirrel. 



line extends from the occiput along the middle of the back 

 nearly to the root of the tail ; over the shoulders and haunches 

 this line, however, is scarcely to be traced, and sometimes is 

 quite obliterated ; parallel to and on each side of this pale 

 line is another, which commences a little behind die ear, and 

 extends to the root of the tail ; over the shoulders it assumes 

 a grey cast, and is very indistinct, and on the hinder part of 

 the body it is frequently of a deep yellow hue ; the interme- 

 diate portion is generally white; the distance between this and 

 the central line is about five lines, and the intermediate space 

 is occupied, in some specimens, almost entirely with black 

 hairs, and in others the hairs in the same part consist of a 

 mixture of yellow, or rust colour, and black. These last 

 pale lines are bordered externally by a dark stripe, which is, 

 in most cases, totally black, and extends only along the middle 

 portion of the body, or the flanks. 



The hairs on the upper side of the tail are most of them 

 white at the apex, of a deep rust-colour at their base, then 

 annulated with black, rust-colour, and black. The greater 

 portion of the hairs on the under side of the tail have their 

 basal half rusty red, the apical portion white, with an inter- 

 mediate black space. The ears are covered externally and 

 internally with minute yellow and black hairs. 



I have before stated that Buffon, in his article on the palm 

 squirrel, describes two animals. The former of my descrip- 

 tions, I imagine, refers to the same species as that which he first 

 notices, and the latter to that which he afterwards mentions. 



My reasons for so believing are, that in his second descrip- 

 tion Buffon particularly notices the rust-like tint in describing 

 the hairs of the tail, whereas in describing the first individual 

 he says that each hair of the tail is black near the root, then 

 grey, and at the point, black. 



The animal first described by me agrees well with his de- 

 scription, except that I find that the hairs of the tail are 

 all tipped with white; and I imagine that this difference may 

 be accounted for by the age of the specimens, Buffon having 

 expressly stated that his was a young animal; and this is con- 

 firmed by the dimensions he gives, which would appear to be 

 those of an individual not more than half grown. 



Now, independently of the proportions, which will be seen 

 to differ considerably, the animal described last in this paper 

 differs from the first in having the scrotum and anal region, 

 and the whole of the central portion of the tail, beneath, red; 

 in having the sides of the face and muzzle below the eye, as 

 well as above, of a rusty yellow tint; and in having only three 

 longitudinal white stripes on the body, whereas the animal 



