1847-] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 8M 



them, and macrourus, Forster, for another : but the latter, as we have seen, 

 must be reserved for the Cinghalese race ; and the former was subsequently 

 considered by Dr. Horsfield as " a mere variety of Sc. Leschenaultii," (i. e. 

 javensis). A single specimen in the Society's collection, presented by the 

 Batavian Society, is of a uniform fuscous-brown above and along the upper 

 surface of the tail ; the sides rather paler and obscurely grizzled with a lighter 

 hue ; the anterior part of the head whitish, passing off gradually in whitish 

 tips on the crown : shoulders more distinctly grizzled ; and the entire under- 

 pays and limbs externally sullied white, inclusive of the anterior portion of 

 the outside of the thigh ; ears pale and rusty, as are also the cheeks and sides 

 of the neck : and the tail underneath is whitish throughout its length, 

 bordered externally (i. e. the hairs tipped) with the hue of the upper-parts : 

 whiskers long and black. The structure is absolutely as in the preceding- 

 race. 



5. Sc. Rafflesii, Vigors : Sc. Prevostii, Desm., apud Schinz : Sc. rufogu- 

 laris et rafoniger, Gray, apud Cantor (who expresses his suspicion that Sc. 

 redemitus, Van der Boon, will prove to be another variety of the same). 

 Two Malacca specimens; one presented by R. W. G. Frith, Esq., the other 

 procured by exchange : and a remarkable variety, according to Dr. Cantor, 

 (nearly allied to that termed rufoniger by Mr. Gray,) with no white anterior 

 to the shoulder, which is replaced by black mingled with rufous on the face, 

 and by rufous on the neck and humerus : there is also a broad lateral band 

 of greyish-white tips to the fur above the ordinary white lateral band ; the ' 

 fur of the haunches is tipped with albescent-brown ; and the tail is clad with 

 broadly white-tipped hairs, except at its extreme tip and base above. Dr. 

 C. has a variety, from the Malayan peninsula, in some degree intermediate to 

 this and to the ordinarily coloured Malayan individuals. The specimen here 

 described is doubtless from the Archipelago, having been presented by the 

 Batavian Society : Schinz states it to inhabit Borneo and Malacca. 



The following four races (and seemingly others) have the same claim to be 

 considered local varieties of a single species, as have the various great Squir- 

 rels exemplified by Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 : but each would seem to be always 

 true to its particular colouring (in its own proper habitat) ; and it is difficult 

 to conceive that local causes should exercise so much influence in modifying 

 the coloration, or that variable species should continue so very true to their 

 colouring over a great extent of country as is the case with the several races 

 under consideration. 



6. Sc. hippurus, Is. Geoff. : Sc. rufogaster, and probably Sc. castaneoven- 

 tris, Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. 1842, p. 263. From the Malayan peninsula. 

 Body above, from occiput to base of tail, fulvous-brown picked with black, 

 continued a little way on the tail ; rest of the tail black : head, sides of neck, 

 and limbs externally, grizzled dark ashy, contrasting strongly with the fulvous 

 hue of the back : under-parts, and inside of limbs, deep rufo-ferruginous, 

 and generally an admixture of the same upon the ears. Two specimens : one 

 presented by R. W. G. Frith, Esq. ; the other procured by exchange. 



7. Sc. rufiventer ( ?), Geoftroy :* Sc. erythrog aster, nobis, J. A. S. XI, 

 970 ; Sc. hypopyrrhus ( ?), Wagler, Schinz (No. 34). From northern Assam 

 and Munneepore. Throughout dusky-ash above, picked with fulvous, nearly 

 as upon the head and limbs of the preceding race : below deep rufo-ferru- 

 ginous, as in the latter : hairs of the tail annulated black and fulvous, with 

 long black tips occupying more and more of each hair to the end, where 

 they become wholly black, and the terminal two-thirds of the tail appear to 



* This was supposed to be N. American : but the species inhabiting- N. America are 

 now tolerably well known, especially since Dr. Bachman's researches ; and none cone- 

 ponding- with the description of Sc, rufiventer has been there discovered. " 



