1905.] MA:\nrALs of souihern camsucoxs. 83 



TI18 " ecloa" {S. pi/rrhopus) is often seen running on the ground 

 or on logs. The same native name is applied to the less common 

 >S'. auricidaius. S. inystax, which is a third species closely re- 

 sembling the last two, was common along the banks of the Benito 

 Rivar, in the Pandanus bushes growing by the water's edge. It 

 is absent or rare in the Bulu country, where there are no large 

 rivers and no Pandanus. 



Some of the Squirrels, at least, are able to pass, like monkeys; 

 from one tree to another, by jumping across and catching them- 

 selves in the foliage. An " ovae " was seen to spring from a limb 

 where it was running, outward and downward, 6 or 8 feet, into 

 the thick foliage of another tree, and citrdi itself on the leaver 

 and small twigs. An " osen " was seen to do the same, but not 

 jumping so far. 



I have learned to distinguish the commonest kinds by their 

 chatter. The little " sep " (*$'. poensis) makes a sibilant noise of 

 one syllable, which may be written " pish ! " The " osen's " chatter 

 is that most often heard, and varies a good deal. The natives 

 represent it by the word " kenge," which does veiy well, only that 

 often a syllable is rapidly repeated many times, somewhat as a 

 person who stutters would do in saying '■ kenge." The " edon " 

 separates the syllables more, uttering only one or two together, 

 thus: "ka-paka.'' The noise the "ovae "makes is peculiar aiid 

 unlike a squirrel, being guttural. The " mvok " makes a noiso 

 with somewhat of the same guttui-al tone, though less so than 

 the " 6vae," and with the syllables more separated and the voice 

 stronger and grufTer. 



All the commoner kinds of Squirrels have been seen joining in 

 coTiipanies with little birds in the forest. It is the habit of many 

 kinds of little birds to feed thus in companies scattei-ed over 

 several neighbouring trees, moving loosely together, and such 

 companies very often have a Squirrel or two in them. 



The Murid.e. 



The majority of the little animals of the Rat and Mouse family 

 are inhabitants of gardens a,nd the neighbourhood of villages. 

 This is the case with all those belonging to the genus Mtts ; these 

 are all trapped by boys, with various devices, in and ai-ound 

 cassava-gardens. 



The " mven " (3£as univittatus) is reputed to be the most 

 destructive of all to cassava-roots. It is the animal proverbial 

 for greediness, as the pig is among us. It lives and breeds in 

 burrows. It is bolder, and oftener seen running around in the 

 daytime, than the others. 



The " ndaji " [Mas tuUbergi) lives in hollow logs and such 

 places. It often comes into houses to find food an 1 to nest, and 

 becomes a house-mouse. 



The " abok " {^'Enomys hi/poxanthns) lives in the bushes growing 

 on waste ground immediately' around villages. It makes nests of 



6* 



