SCIURUS BICOLOR. 



introduced the name of Leschenaultii. One variety, in the Honourable Company's 

 Museum, has the upper parts of a testaceous colour, and the under parts almost 

 pure white : this suggested the name of Hypoleucos; but it now remains as a variety 

 of the Sciurus Leschenaultii. 



Of the large Indian Squirrels, which are the subject of these remarks, three 

 species remain, which appear to have clear distinguishing characters: — the Sciurus 

 bicolor, the Sciurus Leschenaultii, and the Sciurus maximus. They have all a dark 

 colour above, varying from brown of various shades to black, a pale tint imder- 

 neath, and a large obtuse nail on the thumb of the anterior extremities ; but the 

 Sciurus maximus has distinguishing characters, in a reddish brown tint above, in a 

 very large tuft of hairs arising from the ears, in several coloured bands on the 

 cheeks, and in a tail more fuU and bushy than in the other species. The Sciurus 

 Leschenaultii is distinguished by a more uniform colour above, inclining to chestnut, 

 a nearly white under side, and a grayish tint on the nose and anterior part of the 

 head. The most common dress of the Sciurus bicolor is black above, and yellow 

 underneath; in this it is easily distinguished from the two other species. The 

 subject described in this article constitutes a strongly marked variety, which in 

 various points resembles the Sciurus Leschenaultii, but is sufficiently distinguished 

 by its brilliant yellow under parts. 



The manners of the Sciurus bicolor present nothing peculiar. It is by no 

 means scarce in many parts of Java, but it is far less prolific than the Sciurus 

 Plantani. It rarely approaches the villages and plantations, and the cocoa-nut trees 

 suffer but little from its depredations. It retires into the deepest forests, where its 

 food is abundantly supplied by wild fruits of various kinds. I observed it first in 

 the most eastern districts of the Island, in Lamajang, Pugar, and Blambangan, 

 and subsequently in my travels through the Native Prince's territory from Banyumas 

 to Kediri. But in all these tracts I never found the Sciurus bicolor, as described 

 by Sparrmann and Hamilton. The natives keep the animal in a domestic state in 

 their dwellings, and also eat its flesh occasionally. 



