Black Varieties of Squirrels, 99 



Boardman, I learn that there is a district on the south coast of 

 the province where all the squirrels belonging to this species 

 are black, and trappers have told me that black varieties of the 

 grey squirrel are not rare. The latter, however, is not so 

 generally distributed as the other, being confined to districts. 

 The intensity of the black colouring in the specimens I have 

 seen varies from a shining sooty black to an intense black ; and 

 perhaps, as before observed, the reason why these, and so many 

 albino races of birds and beasts are met with in this region, is 

 the little molestation to which they are subjected as compared 

 with Europe, where every strange animal is destroyed. It would 

 be useless even to speculate on the cause or causes of the 

 black fur of the squirrels. We may suppose it would certainly 

 be of service to the little animal during summer in the sombre 

 darkness of the forest, as much as the contrary would obtain 

 in winter ; but the distinctions between this and the normal 

 colouring in both species are so characteristic that, unless 

 attracted by voice or some peculiarity, I do not suppose 

 that the black sort would breed with -the other ; but should 

 two or more of the former come together, we might imagine 

 the propagation of the black race, which would naturally 

 associate and expel, or, on the other hand, be expelled by, 

 the normally coloured, according to their physical capa- 

 bilities. 



The Flying Squirrels are of two species. I have care- 

 fully compared skins with descriptions, and make out one species 

 which may stand as the Pteromys Volucella of Cuvier, and 

 another and much larger one agreeing with the P. Sabrinus 

 of Richardson. The differences between the two are these: 

 The former is seldom over five inches in length, exclusive 

 of the tail, which is four inches ; the upper parts are light 

 fawn, the lower white with the roots of the hairs of the same 

 colour, the tail is lighter coloured than the back. The other 

 is seven inches in length, and the tail is five and a quarter ; 

 the upper parts are mouse-brown, the lower white with the 



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