230 BODENTIA. 



SCIURUS PHAYREI, Blyth. 



Sciurus playrei, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xxiv. 1855, p. 472 et p. 476; iUd. vol. xxviii. 



1859, p. 275; iUd. vol. xliv. (ex. no.) 1875, p. 36; Cat. Mamm. As. Soc. Mus. 1863, p. 104; 



Peters, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1866, p. 429; W. T. Blanford, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. i. 4tli 



ser. 1868, p. 152. 

 Sciurus pygerytliTus, Blyth, var. Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xvii. 1848, p. 345; iUd. vol. xviii. 1849, 



p. 602. 

 Macroxtis phayrei, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. xx. 1867, p. 277. 



The laterally banded squirrel from Martaban, described by Blyth as ^S*. phayrei, 

 resembles S. pygerythrus in the colour of its upper parts and in the character of 

 its tail, which has a well-defined, black tip. The lower parts are rich orange-red, 

 but of variable intensity, and this colour is continued, more or less, along the under 

 surface of the tail. The insides of the Hmbs are of the same colour, and this is 

 continued on to the front of the thigh and upon the feet ; the fore limbs are tinged 

 with dusky, externally, above the pale rufous or yellowish feet. It is distinguished 

 from S. pygerythrus by a broad, well-defined, blackish band upon the flanks, 

 separating the colours on the back and belly. 



The skull of this species has much the same characters as the skuUs of 

 S. hlanfordii and S. caniceps, but it is somewhat smaller. A skull, however, 

 referred by Blyth to this species, but unverified by a skin, is considerably larger 

 than the skull of these two species, and remarkably resembles the skull of 

 S. hlanfordii. 



This form occurs in Martaban, and extends northwards to Upper Burma, 

 having been obtained at Tounghu. 



* Sciurus BLANroRDii, Blyth, Plate XVIII. 



Sciurus hlanfordii, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng, vol. xxxi. 1862, p. 333 et p. 391; ibid. vol. xxxii, 

 ]863, p. 73; ibid. vol. xliv. (1875 ex. no.), p. 36; Cat. Mamm. As. Soc. Mus. 1863, p. 104; 

 W. T. Blanford, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 4th ser. vol. i. 1868, p. 152. 



Macroxus blanfordii, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1867, vol. xx. p. 284. 



This grey, but orange-beUied squirrel, first discovered in Upper Burma, in the 

 vicinity of Ava, is pale grey above, the fur being finely punctulated with black 

 and grey, which is also the colour of the tail, which has a well-marked black 

 tip. The hands and feet are yellow. The under surface is pale orange-yellow 

 from the chin to the vent. It is of the same size as S. caniceps and S. phayrei, 

 with the same proportions of tail to body, and its ears are alike in shape and 

 size to those of these two forms; and a female shot by me at Pudeepyoo in 

 Upper Burma, in the beginning of January, has a distinct tendency to the formation 

 of a dusky lateral stripe, and the under parts are much more rich orange than in 

 the type. 



The skeleton of this individual has 12 ribs, and 7 lumbar and 26 caudal 

 vertebrae. There are five meso-sternal elements in addition to the manubrium. The 



