$76 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [July. 



just put forth its shorter summer pelage. It does not appear to be in the 

 least degree distressed by the temperature of Lower Bengal, but is, in gene- 

 ral, merely kept away from direct sunshine during the heat of the day : and 

 (as always with this genus) it is perfectly fearless and tame, but without 

 distinguishing individuals. It makes a loud chattering cachinnation not 

 unfrequently. At first, when turned loose, this Marmot used generally to 

 collect as much grass as he could carry, and take it to the place where he 

 was kept ; but I have not observed him to do this of late, though he pro- 

 bably again will by and bye. 



I will now consider the range of distribution of our Indian true Sciuri, 

 and those inhabiting the eastern side of the Bay of Bengal, as far south- 

 ward as the Straits of Malacca. 



As with the Flying Squirrels, the group of true Sciuri is not much deve- 

 loped in India proper. Thus, in the peninsula and Ceylon, only five species 

 are known, all pertaining to subgroups peculiar to this part of the world, — 

 viz. that of the gigantic Squirrels (the races or species of which are brought 

 together by some Zoologists as varieties only of Sc. maximus, Schreber), and 

 that of the diminutive so called Palm Squirrels.* Of the latter, Sc. palma- 

 rum would seem to be diffused generally over the plains, where it is the only 

 species met with ; as in the Gangetic delta, beyond which it does not pass 

 eastward (that I have been able to learn), nor into Assam, while to the north 

 it ranges to the foot of the hill country, and in a N. W. direction till checked 

 by the great deserts.f Southward, it is said to inhabit Ceylon, and to abound 

 on the table-land of the Deccan : while in more undulating ground it is 

 found together with the next species. Sc. tristriatus takes the place of Sc. 

 palmarum in more hilly districts, to a moderate elevation ; abounding along 

 the ranges of ghats on either coast of the peninsula, also in Ceylon, and 

 extending northward to the borders of the Gangetic delta, and thence west- 

 ward into centtal India : it probably also occurs on the Rajmahl and Mon- 

 ghyr hills in Bengal, if not also in the sub-Himalayan sal forest ; but 

 further observations are required to trace satisfactorily its geographic 

 range, as it has been very generally confounded with Sc. palmarum. 

 The little Sc. trilineatus is exclusively a hill species, confined to a more 

 elevated range of country; having been hitherto observed only in the 

 Nilgherries : but a representative of it (if not the identical species) might 

 be looked for in Ceylon, if not also in the Mahabuleishwar. Of the two great 

 Squirrels, Sc. purpureus seems to be generally diffused, or nearly so, through- 

 out the hill jungles of the peninsula ; except perhaps in the extreme south 

 and in Ceylon, where Sc. macrourus inhabits and probably replaces it. The 

 Sc. dschinschicus, Gm. (v. ginginianus, Shaw), founded on VEcureil de Gingi 

 of Sonnerat, and probably the same with Sc. albovittaius, Desmarest, — a 

 species apparently allied to Sc. plantani of Sumatra and Java, — is greatly in 

 need of confirmation as an inhabitant of India. 



Passing now to the Himalaya, I have no information respecting the species 

 (if any) inhabiting the N. W., or Alpine Punjab, or even to the westward 

 of Nepal ; but to the S. E. (as in eastern Nepal, Sikim, Bootan), there is 

 the large black Squirrel, Sc. bicolor apud nos, which spreads thence to the 

 hill ranges of Assam, and those of Munneepore, Sylhet, Arracan, Tenasserim, 



' I cannot say that I have absolutely never seen Sc. palmarum upon a palm ; but it 

 assuredly does not resort much to the Pahnacecc. These diminutive striped Squirrels 

 come very much on the ground, as their affinities with the Ground Squirrels (Tamius) 

 would intimate . and are about equally terrestrial and arboreal : they arc continually 

 seen, with feathery tail upraised, running- about and crossing one's path on the ground ; 

 bul immediately retreat to a tre« upon alarm. 



t VideJ.il. S.XV, 168. 



