70 MR. 0. THOMAS ON THE MAMMALS OF [Jan. 19, 
S. CANICEPS TYPICUS. 
(S. chrysonotus, Bly.) 
A seasonal change. In summer all grey, in winter back brilliant 
orange-yellow. 
N. Tenasserim. 
S. CANICEPS CONCOLOR, Bly. 
No seasonal change. Sides of neck and of belly rufous, dull in 
northern, brilliant in southern specimens. 
S. Tenasserim to Malacca. 
The alternatives, under the binomial system, of either splitting 
this species into five, or of lumping all the varieties under one head, 
are both too unsatisfactory for adoption. For the first there are far 
too many intermediate specimens and gradations, and for the second 
the differences between fully ornamented specimens of S. phayret, of 
S. concolor, and of breeding specimens of S. caniceps typicus, are 
infinitely too striking. 
The manner and dates of the seasonal change in S. caniceps typicus 
are well illustrated by the series from N.Tenasserim. In October the 
yellow begins to appear in small patches on the back among the 
grizzled grey (85. 8. 1. 184). By November the whole of the back 
is rich yellow (85. 8. 1. 182), and this remains at its best until 
January’, and then gradually becomes duller and dirtier-looking 
(77. 10. 25. 2), until about March the summer grizzled grey hairs 
begin again to appear in patches in the midst of the yellow (77. 10. 
25. 1), and soon entirely supersede it. Males and females alike go 
through this change. 
16. Scrurus aTRopoRSALIs, Gray. 
a. Kankaryit, near Moulmein, 10/1/77. 6. Doonsa, near 
Moulmein, 8/3/77. _¢e, d. Lathorge, near Myawadi, 19 and 
22/1/77. e. Maitho, Thoungyeen R. 29/10/77 (Bingham). 
St, g- Mt. Nwa-la-boo, Tavoy, 5/4/78. 
The evidence of the fine series before me, consisting of 40 speci- 
mens’, tends to show that the variation in the colour of this species is 
not so much a sign of season as of locality, southern specimens being, 
as a rule, more rufous and generally without the black back. 
It unfortunately happens, however, that nearly all the dated 
specimens that I have seen were obtained in the winter, when the 
black back is certainly present in most cases. However, Capt. 
Beavan® has described a July specimen as having a black back, and 
1 One specimen in Mr. Blanford’s collection, labelled as from Thatone, 
January, has no yellow on its back as might be expected, and forms therefore a 
striking exception to the general rule. It should be noticed, however, that this 
is the very specimen of which Mr. Blanford wrote in 1878 (J. A. 8. B. xlvii. 
p. 162), “The skin so precisely resembles the peculiarly dark olive specimens 
from Bankasun, that I am inelined to suspect the label must have been changed 
by accident.” 
? Many of these were kindly lent to me by Mr. Blanford. 
5 P. Z. 8. 1866, p. 428. 
