1875.] H. J. Rainey — On the Scientific name of the Palm Squirrel. 159 



Mr. Medlicott remarked that the stone hatchet he had brought from 

 Upper Assam two years ago was of the same shape as that exhibited by 

 Major Godwin-Austen, but smaller and of a softer more earthy stone. It 

 had been found two feet under ground in a plantation near Dibrugarh. 



Letters were read — 



1. From H. J. liainey, Esq., forwarding the following note on the 

 (probable) origin of the scientific appellation of the common striped squirrel 

 (Sciurus palmarum, Linnaeus) . 



" According to Jerdon,* Indian naturalists appear to be sorely puzzled 

 to account for the common or striped squirrel being designated palmarum, 

 but I have just happened to discover, I think, the reason — such as it is — 

 why it has been given that specific appellation by Linnaeus. 



Having occasion to refer to the " Travels of VanLinschoten," who jour- 

 neyed in India towards the close of the sixteenth century, for some par- 

 ticulars regarding the early Portuguese in this country, I chanced to come 

 across a passage, which appears to have somehow escaped my attention before 

 now, and which, I venture to think, satisfactorily explains the origin of the 

 specific name palmartm, universally applied by naturalists to our well-known 

 striped squirrel. In describing the various animals abounding about ''the 

 towne and island of Goa" in quaint terms, he gives a curious, but sufficiently 

 correct, description of what I cannot help taking to be our palm squirrel. 

 After shortly noticing the " Monkies or Marmosets," which, he says, " doe 

 great hurt to the Palme trees," he proceeds on, thus : — " In those trees you 

 " shall commonly see certaine little beasts called Bichos cle Palmeyras, that 

 " is, Beasts of the Palme trees : They are much like Ferrets, wherewith 

 " men vse to hunt and catch Cunnies, and have a taile like the Penner 

 " of an Inke-horne, and grajush speckled haire : they are prettie beasts to 

 " keep and to pass the time withall."f 



There can be no doubt, I believe, that this is no other than our veri- 

 table so-called palm squirrel, and it is most probable that Linnaeus named 

 it palmarum from its Portuguese designation aforesaid, — Bichos de Pal- 

 meyras, or ' Beasts of the Palm tree.' 



It would be worth knowing if these squirrels are still numerous about 

 Goa, and if they are there to be met with more frequently on the palm 

 than any other kind of tree. Should they be found in Goa to evince no 

 partiality for the palm as their abode, then the eminent Swedish natura- 

 list, who may be said to be the founder of botanical science, was evidently 

 misled by the inaccurate observation of the early Portuguese in India in 

 this particular, and induced to give it, if not an absolute misnomer, at least 

 an inappropriate designation which is most liable to give those unacquainted 



* Mammals of India, London, 1874, p. 171. 



t Early Travels in India, First Series, Calcutta, 186-1, p. 223. 



