KUNQL. SV. VET. AKADEMIBNS HANDLINQAR. BAND 48. N:0 5. 



85 



has mentioned as existing in the single specimen on which he based the name is 

 present in all my specimens.^ Around the eyes a more or less defined fawn coloured 

 ring is to be seen. The sides of the head is otherwise nearly similar in colour to 

 the lower parts. The hair of the tail is black with white tips and three yellow rings. 

 The colour of these rings is, when the tail is in fresh pelage, most similar to »Mars 

 yellow» (»Rep. de Couleurs», 316), sometimes more yellowish tan, sometimes inclining 

 to fawn. The tip of the tail looks almost black because the white tips to the hair 

 are absent there and the light rings more or less reduced in number. The upper 

 one is absent, and sometimes the two others as well. 



The length of the skins (head and body) is 22 — 25 cm. 



The length of the tail varies from 22 to 26,5 cm. 



The length of the hind foot is about 48 — 50 mm. without claws. 



The maximum length of the skulls varies from 52,5 to 55 mm. 54 being the 

 usual size of old specimens. 



Maximum length of skull 



Condyloincisive length of skull . . 



Zygomatic width of skull 



Least interorbital width of skull . . 

 Length of upper molar series . . . 



Length of diastema 



Width of palate between premolars 

 Length of palate 



All these specimens are fully adult with worn molars. They are from the forests 

 near Meru boma. The specimens from Kenia have the same dimensions. 



As the dark fur indicates, this Squirrel is an inhabitant of the dark and thick 

 forest. Often two or three specimens were found in company, and at least once it 

 was stated that both were adult females. They appear thus to be sociable inde- 

 pendently of sex. 



of P. 



Paraxerus jacksoni (de Winton). 



De Winton: Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 6, Vol. XIX, 1897, p. 574. 



and 



Paraxerus jacksoni capitis Thomas. 



Thomas: Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 8, Vol. IV, 1909, p. 105. 

 The type specimen of P. jacksoni is stated to be from Kikuyu, while the type 

 /. capitis is from Nairobi Forest. I have collected six specimens from the 



1 Mr K B WoosNAM showed me a pair of dark Squirrels shot near Escarpment which had no such 

 white throat' mark.' As they otherwise resembled the Kenia Squirrel it is probable that they only represented 

 a melanistic phase of the same. 



