42 



RICHARDSON'S COLUMBIAN SQUIRREL. 



Feet, on their upper surface rufous ; on the shoulders, forehead, ears, and 

 along the thighs, there is a slight tinge of the same colour. Whiskers, 

 (which are a little longer than the head,) black. The whole of the under 

 surface, as well as a line around the eyes and a small patch above the 

 nostrils, bluish-gray. The tail, for about one-half its length presents on 

 the upper surface a dark rufous appearance, many of the hairs being 

 nearly black, pointed with light rufous. At the extremity of the tail 

 and along it for about an inch and three-quarters, the hairs are black, a 

 few of them slightly tipped with rufous. Hind-feet, from the heel to the 

 palms thickly clothed with short adpressed light-coloured hairs ; palms 

 naked. The sides are marked by a line of black, commencing at the 

 shoulder and terminating abruptly on the flanks ; this line is about two 

 inches in length, and four lines wide. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length of head and body 

 Tail (vertebrae) 

 Do., including fur . 

 Height of ear posteriorly 



Do., including fur 

 Palm and middle fore-claw 

 Sole and middle hind-claw 



6i inches. 



3f do. 



5 do. 



f do. 



I do. 



If do. 



n do. 



The only knowledge we have obtained of the habits of this species, is 

 contained in a note from Mr. Townsend, who obtained the specimen from 

 which the above description was taken. He remarks : " It is evidently 

 a distinct species. Its habits are very different from the Sciurus Hud- 

 sonius. It frequents the pine trees in the high ranges of the Rocky 

 Mountains w^est of the Great Chain, feeding upon the seeds contained in 

 the cones. These seeds are large and white, and contain a good deal of 

 nutriment. The Indians eat a great quantity of them, and esteem them 

 good. 



" The note of this squirrel is a loud jarring chatter, very different from 

 the noise of Sciw-us Hudsonius. It is not at all shy, frequently coming 

 doviTi to the foot of the tree to reconnoitre the passenger, and scolding 

 at him vociferously. It is, I think, a scarce species." 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



Lewis and Clarke speak of the " Brown Squirrel ", as inhabiting the 

 banks of the Columbia river. Our specimen is labelled. Rocky ]\Ioun- 



