ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



239 



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THK SOUIRRKL COLLKCTION 



■Vl/HKN tlie Small-Mammal House was 

 * ' opened, an interesting series of squirrels 

 occupied the upper tier of cages on the west side 

 of the building. A number of species have been 

 added since that time, and the collection of these 

 vivacious rodents is now very attractive, embracing 

 species from the eastern and western portions of 

 North America, as well as South America, and the 

 Old World. 



At the present time the collection of squirrels 

 contains the following species: 



Xorlli America. 



Gray Squirrel. 

 Black Squirrel. 

 Fox Squirrel. 

 Red Squirrel. 



Thirtcen-lined Spermojihile. 

 Western Chipmunk. 

 Eastern Chipmunk. 



Exotic. 



.\frican Ground Siuiirrel. 

 Malabar Squirrel. 

 Prevost's Squirrel. 

 Mexican Red Squirrel. 



Of this scries the largest and finest species is the 

 Malabar squirrel, largest of all the Sciiiridcr 

 (Sciunis »:alaharici<s), an animal inhabiting the 

 southern jxirtions of Malabar, the Wynaad, the 

 slopes of the Xilgherries and Travancore. The 

 body of this squirrel is as large as that of an adult 

 prairie "dog. " Above is a bright, chestnut brown. 

 The sides and abdomen are yellow, and in vivid 

 contrast to the rufous tints of the back. 



M.\L.\l?.\R SQIIRRFL 



Quite ecHpsing the MalaJjar .s(|uirrel in bril- 

 liance of pattern is the Prevost's or tricolor .squirrel 

 (Sciiirus prezvsti), from the Malay peninsula. 

 This species is lustrous black above, with a wide 

 and vivid bar on each side of the body. In strong 

 contrast to this arrangement is the under surface, 

 which is bright cinnamon. The specie> is about the 

 size of the North American gray squirrel. 



Another attractive species of this series is the 

 South American red squirrel represented by a 

 pair of adult specimens. The color above is a 

 striking, fiery red. This species possesses a fine, 

 bushy tail, is very l)old and active, and altogether 

 a highly satisfactory animal for exhibition. 



One of the e.xotic squirrels is exhibited under 

 peculiar circumstances. This is the South African 

 ground squirrel, a fine, large species that is longi- 

 tudinally striped with dark brown, on a paler ground 

 color. Our specimen was captured in Cape Colony 

 when very young, and shortly afterward placed in 



