1906.] FROM JOHORE AND SINGAPORE. 7 



identical in all respects with the types of vittatics, and since this 

 is the case Mr. Miller's peninsularis cannot stand. 



It should always be remembered that among truly variable 

 species, of which there are not many, but of which S.Jinlaysoni 

 is another good example, geogi'aphical forms are very unlikely to 

 be found : for the fact that it is variable means (i) that natural 

 selection does not restrict it to a particular type ; (ii) that in 

 consequence it almost certainly does not breed true. So that, 

 although the majority of individuals in any one place may show 

 a tendency to a particular form of coloi^ation, other varieties will 

 be so frequently appearing as to prevent the fixing of any particular 

 character. Now a true geographic I'ace, to which forms alone 

 trinomials should be restricted, should be the only race found in 

 its type locality, intermediates being found only in the country 

 approaching that of another race. It is therefore evident that 

 >S'. vittatus is, as regards colour, a very variable species, and as 

 such it behoves all systematists to be extremely cautious before 

 naming any races thereof. 



It is only fair to add that the type of miniaius came from the 

 hills at an altitude of about 1000 feet, and may rejaresent 

 a hill form ; but at present there is no evidence of this, and such 

 evidence as there is, namely the dark and light under parts being 

 found on the same individual, tends to disprove it. 



SCIURUS NIGROVITTATUS BILIMITATUS Mill. 



Sciu7'us hilimitatus Mill. Smithsonian Misc. Coll. vol. xlv. p. 8 

 (1903). 



Sciurus nigrovittatus Horsf., Bonh. Ann. & Mag. ISTat. Hist. 

 (7) vii. p. 452 (1901) ; id. Fasc. Malay., Zool. vol. i. p. 23 (1903). 



a. § . Pelepak, Johore, 24th March, 1905. 



h, c. (S . Kangka Aming, Johore, 26th May, 1905. 



d. 6 . Johore^Bahru, 2bth Feb., 1905. 



e. 2- „ „ 18th June, 1904. 



Mr. Miller has separated the Peninsula and Javan forms 

 chiefly on account of the almost entire absence of the light stiipe 

 in the latter. I have been able to examine only one specimen 

 from Java, in which the stripe is certainly almost obliterated. 

 This is, however, by no mea,ns the case with the Sumatran form, 

 in which the stripe is very well mai-ked. 



FUNAMBULUS INSIGNIS PENINSULA Miller. 



Funambid'us peninstdce Mill. Smithsonian Misc. Coll. vol. xlv. 

 p. 25 (1903). 



a, b. (S 2 • Ivangka Aming, Johore, 29th May, 1905. 



I have placed these examples under Mr. Miller's name, al- 

 though his description does not exactly agree with specimens 

 from the Peninsula, and it is probable that his single specimen 

 is hardly typical of the Malay form. I was, however, in error 



