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Show 1899.] ON EUROPEAN SQUIRRELS. 5 It differed from the Continental Squirrel of all localities in the fact that the tail was never red (except occasionally in a few quite young specimens, and then never so bright as in Continental specimens), but browu, and that it bleached regularly each season to a dirty cream or straw-colour. On the Continent of Europe the Squirrels of all localities were greatly affected with total or partial melanism, which made them rather a difficult subject for study. Excluding the melanisms, which had from time to time received names,-such as S. niger Kerr 1792, from Lake Baikal, S. alpinus F. Cuvier 1821, from the Pyrenees, and S. italicus Bp. 1838, from Italy,-Mr. Barrett- Hamilton stated that he knew of three subspecies of Squirrel iu Northern and Central Europe, of which the first was found in Germany, Northern France, Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland, and was distinguishable all the year round by its bright red colour. In the North and East, the Central European Squirrel met and intergraded with a lighter red form, which in winter became almost grey, while the typical S. vulgaris of Linnaeus would appear to be restricted to a comparatively small area in South Scandinavia. The latter approached nearest to S. leucurus, but was at once distinguishable by the redness of the tail, which, moreover, did not bleach. To all these forms, except the typical S. vulgaris, the names given to them by Robert Kerr in 1792 appeared to be applicable. Their distribution was in accordance with what might be expected from a knowledge of the existing climatic conditions of Europe; and it was interesting to find the milder portions of Scandinavia inhabited by a Squirrel which approached more nearly to the British than to any other form. The occurrence of this form might be parallel to that of a Wren, Troglodytes bergensis, which had been described by Stejneger from South Scandinavia. It wras also interesting to find that the light red Squirrel of Northern Scandinavia, Lapland, and Russia occurred farther south in proportion to the extension of its range eastward and inland, and was thus found in Poland, Eastern Prussia, and Hungary. Of the Squirrels of South Europe he had nothing to say for the present. For the proper appreciation of the local colour-variations of the common European mammals a large series of skins collected in different localities was essential, and the little already accomplished towards the accumulation of such a series had been largely due to the energy of Mr. Oldtield Thomas. The following was a brief diagnosis of the colour-distinctions of the European subspecies of Sciurus vulgaris, together with that of one subspecies from Siberia : - SCIURUS VULGARIS RUFUS Kerr, Animal Kingdom, p. 255 (1792). Hah. Central Europe: North of France, Belgium, Holland, Germany (except the east), Switzerland, and parts of Northern Austria. Colour-of ear-tufts, body, and tail red all the year round, the |