IlODENTIA. MAMMAIjIA. Rodentia. 
Ixxxvi 
THE VARIED SQUIRREL (6\ loothice, Gray).— 
'i’liis is S. variegatus of Erxlebeii, 1777 ; S. rigidus 
of Peters, 1863-4; S. intennedias of Verreaux; and 
several other synonyms are recorded. Its form is 
stout; muzzle short and broad ; its ears rather small. 
The tail is narrow, and somewhat longer than the 
head and body. The pelage is full, coarse and long. 
The length of head and body is twelve and a half 
inches ; of the tail' to the end of the hairs, twelve 
and three-quarter inches. Its color above is dark 
brown, mixed with yellowish-gray or black, with a 
shade of fulvous ; the sides are often pater, and an 
indication in some of a broad grayish sublateral 
band ; beneath, it is deep brownish-red ; frequently it 
has unsymmetrical patches of white. The coloration 
of this species varies so much that authors regard it 
as difficult to settle upon one satisfactory descrip- 
tion. The above is regarded as intermediate be- 
tween the extremes, though it is but an epitome, as 
most of our present matter must necessarily be. 
FIRE -BELLIED SQUIRREL (,5'. liypopyrrhm, 
Wagler ). — This is S. nigrescens of Bennet [Proc. Zool. 
Soc., Land., 1833) ; Macroxus nigrescens, Gray ; and 
S. griseocaudatus, M. colliaei, M. dorsalis, M. maurus 
and M. melania of same (^Ann. and Mag. Rat. Hist., 
1867). Its specific characters are seen in its slender- 
ness, the great length and narrowness of its ears, and 
the remarkable length of its tail, which, with the 
hairs, is one fifth to one fourth longer than the head 
and body. It is a common form in Southern Mexico 
and Central America, southward to Ecuador; it also 
is found on the west coast of South America, S. 
griseocaudatus of Gray being found to be the same 
as this, as well as S. variegatoides of Ogilby. 'I'liis 
species is large, but slender. The length of body is 
ten and a half to twelve and a half inches; tail to 
end of the hairs is twelve and three-quarter to sixteen 
inches. The color is variable, and a strong tendency 
is seen to both albinism and melanism. The pelage 
is coarse and harsh. 
RED -BELLIED SQUIRREL {S. aureigaster, F. 
Cuvier ). — This is S. ferruginiventris of Aud. and 
Bach. ; Macroxus aureogaster and M. morio of Gray 
[Aim. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1867). The head aud body 
measure ten and a half inches ; tail to end of hairs 
(deven and a half inches. 'J'he pelage is soft and 
full. 'I’he color above is a clear dark gray ; beneath, 
it is a deep reddish-orange, which blends with the 
gray of the sides, e.xtending often high upon the 
slioulders, occasionally meeting on the back. The 
sides of the head and chin are a light gray. The 
tail is tricolored below, centrally it is a deep reddish- 
orange, then black and white edged ; the upper sur- 
face is black and white mixed. 'I'he color is said to 
vary less than in most other Mexican varieties. This 
species is not seen north of Mexico. 
GOLDEN-BELLIED SQUIRREL [S. leucops, Gray.)— 
'I'his is S. aureogaster of Geottroy ; Macroxus griseo- 
flavus and il. leucops of Gray [Ann. and Mag. Nat.' 
Hist., 1867.) 'I’he length of this form is twelve and a 
half inches; the tail, With hairs, twelve to tiurteen 
inches. 'I’he pelage is soft and full. 'I’he color 
above is gray, varying from a whitish-gray to a dark 
iron-gray, often having a patch of yellowish-rusty on 
the nape, and a considerable area of the same on the 
rump ; beneath, it is a pure white, a yellowish white, 
or deep golden. “ 'i’he pelage of the whole upper 
surface is generally with a broad subterminal band of 
yellowish or golden, sometimes showing faintly 
through the surface.” 'I’his species was first de- 
scribed by Geoffroy, the naturalist of the French ship 
Venus, in 1855, from specimens found at Mon- 
terey. 
BRAZILIAN SQUIRREL [S. cestuans, Linn.)—k. 
large number of synonyms are appended to this 
species. Pennant called it as above, and Buffon has 
it Le grand Guerlinguet. A variety, called S. rufo- 
niger, is Macroxus irroratus and M. griseogena of 
Gray. 'I’he variety sestuans has a body much smaller 
than any preceding, being seven to eight inches, and 
the length of tail, including the hairs, nine to nine 
and a half inches, 'i’he ears are of medium size, and 
rounded. ’I’lie tail is narrow, and distichous till near 
the terminus, when it is more cylindrical. 'The pelage 
is soft and short. 'I’he general color above is a dark 
olivaceous-brown, minutely varied with fulvous or 
pale rufous ; beneath, including the insides of the 
limbs, it is generally a reddish-yellow, varying from a 
pale rufous to fulvous. 'I’he tail is yellowish-brown, 
ringed with black, 'riiere is a ring of yellowish 
around each eye. 'I’he sides of the inuzzK), chin and 
throat are yellowish-white. 'I’his species presents no 
marked variations in color, and is not seen to vary 
much with locality. Ivo melanistic specimens have 
been seen. 'I’he specimens examined by Mr. Allen 
are from Brazil. 
'I’he variety rufoniger is larger than the preceding 
sestuans, the length being eight and three-quarter 
inches; of tail to end of hairs nine to nine and three- 
quarter inches. Little difference in coloration is 
seen ; the dorsal surface is a little darker and redder, 
and the lower parts rather lighter ; the tail is also 
washed yellowish-red, instead of very pale yellow, 
and the black rings are broader and darker ; the 
latter coloration is regarded as quite noticeable, as 
distinguished from the sestuans. 'The specimens e.x- 
amined by Mr. Allen are from Costa Rica ; those 
from Venezuela are smaller. 
ORIZABA SQUIRREL (<§. UpTirogasUr, Gray, 
Allen). — 'I'his is Macroxus fraseri of Gray, and 
several other forms are referred by him to the 
same genus, formerly described under different names, 
as M. middellinensis and M. toeniurus. 'This is 
the same in size as the preceding. 'I’he color is 
dark olivaceous above, with minutely varied yellow 
or rufous. The middle of the back is darker than 
the sides, and with less rufous. Beneath, it is whitish- 
gray or fulvous, varying in different specimens from 
nearly pure white to orange. 'I’he tail above is 
black, with white washings ; below, it is reddish- 
brown, I’inged with black centrally, with a broad 
subterminal bar of black, ended with whitish tips. 
'I’his species is from Central Guatemala and .Mexico. 
GERRARD’S SQUIRREL [S. gerrardi, Gray ). — -'rhis 
is Macroxus gerrardi of Gray; M. brunneo-niger of 
Castelnau ; M. xanthotus of Gray; and M. ignitus 
