SCITTHirS EtPHIKSTONKI. 167 



About the same Bize as the last. This race inhabits^ Central India, 

 whence often brought aliye to Calcutta. I have seen it in the forests at 

 the foot of the Puchmurri hills, near Seonee, and in the vast jungles of 

 Bustar, where it is very abundant ; also in Goomsoor. 



Blyth remarks that it is very constant to its particular type of colora- 

 tion, " apparently never varying." 



150. Sciums Elphinstonei. 



Sykes, Cat. — S. homhayamis, apud Schinz. — Elliot, Cat. 43, var. — 

 Shekra, Mahr. of the Ghats. — Kes annalu, Can. of the Halapyks. 



The Bombay Ebd Squirrel. 



Descr. — Ears and the whole upper surface of the body, and halfway 

 down the tail, outside the hind legs, and halfway down the fore legs out- 

 side, of an uniform rich reddish chesnut ; the whole under surface of the 

 body from the chm to the vent, inside of the limbs and lower part of the 

 forelegs, crown of head, cheeks and posterior half of the tail, of a fine 

 reddish-white, the two colors being separated by a defined line, and not 

 merging into each other ; feet light red ; forehead and nose reddish-brown, 

 with some white hairs intermixed. Ears tufted. 



Length of one, head and body 20 inches; tail 18. 



The Bombay red squirrel is found in the northern portiop of the Western 

 Ghats, extending into north Malabar. It is probably the species found 

 on the Mahableshwar hills. Mr. Elliot records 8. maximus as being the 

 species of the forest of the Southern Mahratta country, but alludes to this 

 as a variety found in the Ghats. 



These three well marked races or species have similar habits, dwelling 

 in lofty forests, and making a large nest near the top of the tallest trees. 

 Their voice is a loud quickly-repeated cry, which Sykes syllabizes as 

 chook-chook-chook. Many are taken young and brought to Calcutta and 

 other large towns for sale, and they become very tame. They are awk- 

 ward in their gait on the ground, but most active on trees, jumping from 

 bough to bough with amazing agility. I am unable to define the geogra- 

 phic limits of each race more than what I have noted under the species. 

 Many years ago I saw a large colony of one of these races in a wood 

 near Kotagherry, on the Neelgherries, which was perhaps S. rmlaharicus ; 

 but I have an impression that it might have been S. macrourus, or ,S^. 

 tennantii. 



