1847.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 869 



maronne-red above, with usually (if not always) a pale tip ; the under-parts 

 are more or less deep-coloured ; and the relative proportion of the colours of 

 the head is subject to variation, its dark portion being generally maronne 

 when little developed, blackish when more extended : the line proceeding 

 downward from the front of the ear is of very constant (if not invari- 

 able) occurrence; and may be presumed to exist in the black variety 

 mentioned by Mr. Elliot (Madras Journ. X, 217), distinguishing it from the 

 black race so common in the countries eastward of the Bay of Bengal. The 

 great development of the fur upon the ear seems always to characterize this 

 Indian race or species, and in a less degree the Himalayan and Assamese 

 specimens of our No. 3 ; while in Arracan, Tenasserim, and Malayan speci- 

 mens of the latter, and in the Cinghalese and Javan races, the ears are clad 

 with very short hairs, as in the generality of Indian and Malayan Sciuri* 

 I have retained three specimens for the Museum of Sc. purpureus, all set up 

 while fresh by the Society's taxidermists. 



2. Sc. macrourus, Forster (nee Say) : also White-legged Squirrel, Pennant, 

 ' Quadrupeds,' II, 407 ; and Sc. ceylonensis, Boddaert. PL XXXVI, fig. 2. 

 Mr. Gray refers this name to a Javanese race or species ; and certainly Dr. 

 Horsfield's figure assigned by him to Sc. bicolor, in the ' Zoological Researches 

 in Java,' approximates the Ceylon animal considerably. In general, it has 

 been placed as a synonyme of the preceding species ; but the race has at 

 least as good a claim to rank separately, as have either of the two next. 

 The ears are clad with short hair, instead of being densely tufted : and the 

 colouring is remarkably different. The Ceylon specimen figured (presented 

 by Dr. R. Templeton, of Colombo,) measures about 2ft. long, of which the 

 tail is half, its hair reaching l|in. further. Colour of the upper^parts dull 

 maronne-black, much grizzled with whitish tips on the sides, croup, and 

 haunches, and slightly o* the back and shoulders ; the croup having numer- 

 ous buffy-white hairs intermixed : basal three-fifths of the tail black, with 

 long white tips to the hairs, and a white median line underneath (or behind) ; 

 the rest or terminal portion brown with less conspicuously developed white 

 tips, except at the end, where these gradually disappear : cheeks, under-parts, 

 and limbs, almost pure white, with a slight fulvescent tinge ; but there is an 

 abruptly defined blackish patch on the upper portion of the fore-limbs 

 externally, passing upward to the shoulder, a corresponding grizzled patch 

 on the hind-limbs continuous with the colouring of the croup and haunches, 

 and the toes of all the feet are blackish : there is also a blackish patch on the 

 crown of the head, and a few blackish hairs on the white cheeks ; a dull 

 whitish occipital band behind the ears ; and the short fur upon the outside 

 of the ears is whitish, excepting a slight black pencil anteriorly. — The only 

 other specimen I have seen was procured in Travancore, and sent to me on 

 loan by Walter Elliot, Esq. ; and I took of it a minute description, which I 

 here subjoin.t 



* Upon the whole, the variation I have observed in different individuals of this race, 

 from distantly separated localities, is, after all, but trifling, and does not appear to be 

 influenced by locality. 



t Length about 21 inches, of which the tail measured 9 inches, or with its hair 10 inches. 

 Fur of the upper-parts coarse and rigid at tip, a little waved, or not lying even and 

 smooth ; the basal two-thirds fine and soft, of an umbre-brown colour, as is also the first 

 portion of the thicker extremity ; the tips being of a pale straw-colour, imparting a 

 grizzled appearance : crown of the head, and base of the anterior limbs, darker ; rest 

 of the head, with the occiput, throat, breast, and the four limbs, pale isabella-brown, 

 or dirty straw-colour, the hair along each side of the belly conspicuously longer (as 

 likewise in the Ceylon specimen) ; that of the under-parts, and beneath the fore-limbs, 

 short and much frizzled, and tinged with ferruginous : the toes of all the feet are black- 

 sh-brown above : tail coloured like the back at base, the brown colour predominating 



5 V 2 



