302 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XL 



the Tapti, and I did not meet with this squirrel, so its range probably 

 does not extend beyond the Tapti to the northward. 



This is the most distinct in coloration of all the races. It was 

 found by Mr. Wroughton to be scarce even in the limited tract to 

 which it is restricted. He observed that when this squirrel erects the 

 hairs of the tail, • as it has a habit of doing, bottle-brush fashion, the 

 dark hairs at the base of the tail are not erected. He obtained the 

 young animal that is now living in Mr. Vidal's house. It was very 

 young, and although, on its nest being pulled down, it fell to the ground, 

 a distance of between 60 and 80 feet, it escaped quite unhurt. 



Even among the four specimens, three skins and the living animal, 

 which are the only representations of this form hitherto available, there 

 is some difference in coloration, one of the skins being paler than the 

 others, while Mr. Viclal informs me that the living individual has grown 

 somewhat more rufous since it has been in his possession. The faint 

 white stripe down the back which at first sight appears to mark a 

 difference in the coloration from that of the other races is occasionally 

 found in typical S. indicus as is shewn by one of the skins of that form 

 in the British Museum. 



3. Sciurus indicus var. malaharicus (or S. maximus if regarded as a 

 distinct species). The Malabar Squirrel. 



Lie grand Ecureuil de la Cote de Malabar, Sonnerat, Yoy. aux 



Indes Orient., ii, p. 139, pi. 87 (1782). 

 Sciurus maximus, Schreber, Saugth. IV, p. 784, pi. 117 B 



(1784). 

 Sciurus malaharicus, Scopoli, Del. Faun. Flor., Ins., ii, p. 85 

 (1786), Jerdon, Mam., p. 166. 



Middle of nape, shoulders and anterior portion of the back with 

 generally a band down the middle of the back, loins, rump, outside of 

 thighs and tail, black ; short hair on lower surface of tail, rufous buff ; 

 sides of body with more or less of the back in the middle, sides of nape, 

 ears, face and a broad stripe down each cheek from the bai-e of ihe ear, 

 chestnut ; lower parts and band across forehead in front of the ears 

 buff. 



There is in specimens from different localities a considei able variation 

 in the amount of black. In some skins the nape and middle of the back 

 are black, in others chestnut. 



