Varied or Striped Squirrels, 



COQUALLIN. 



Sciunis Variegatus. S, corpore supra nigro albo fuscoque varie* 

 gato. Lin Syst, Nat. GmeL p. i ^i. 



Subferruginous Squirrel, orange-tawny beneath, with the upper 

 parts varied transversely with black brown and whitish un- 

 dulations. 



Le Coquallin. Buff. 13. p. 109. pL 3. 

 Varied Squirrel. Pennant Quadr. i.p. 147. 



The title of Coquallin, applied to this animal^ 

 was instituted by the Count de Buffon, as an elegant 

 abbreviation of the sesquipedalian name Quauhte- 

 collotlquapachtli, by which it is said to have been 

 called by the Mexicans. It is about twice the size 

 of a common squirrel, and is transversely varie- 

 gated on the upper part of the body with numerous 

 undulations of black, white, and orange- brown, the 

 under part being orange-tawny : the head, tail, and 

 limbs, are dusky, and the ears and muzzle whitish. 

 The manners of this species are somewhat differ- 

 ent from those of the generality of Squirrels, 

 since it does not reside on trees, but in holes un- 

 der their roots, where it brings forth its young, and 

 deposits a magazine of grain and fruits for winter 

 use. It is a native of Mexico, and is said to vary 

 in size, being sometimes scarce larger than a com- 

 mon squirrel. It also varies as to the distinctness or 

 intensity both of the ground colour and variega- 

 tions, and sometimes exhibits only an appearance 

 of brown streaks on a ferruginous or reddish- 



