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Show 1886.] THE H U M E COLLECTION. 61 been hitherto its most easterly localities recorded. I am altogether unable to perceive on what grounds Dr. Anderson keeps S. maximus, 6m., separate from this, as although he gives detailed descriptions of both, he omits any comparison between the two. In my opinion the two are certainly specifically identical, and Dr. Jentink is also of the same opinion1. 10. SCIURUS ERTTHRJEUS, Pall. a-c. Noong-zai-bau, 2/2/81. d. Koomberong, 6/2/81. e-i. Aimole, 13 to 19/4/81. j, k. Machi, 30/4 and 1/5/81. Of these specimens all those from Noong-zai-bau and Koomberong are comparatively darker, both above and below, and more finely punctulated than any of those from Aimole and Machi, and more nearly approach the " S. punctatissimus " of Gray. As all the first set were taken in February, and all the second in March, the difference, judging from Mr. Hume's series only, might have been suspected to depend on date and not on locality; but this idea is dispelled both by the absence of any patchiness or other sign of change in the skins, and by the fact that a specimen of S.punctatissimus in the Museum, from Cachar,is dated June, whereas, were the change seasonal only, this form should, on the evidence of the Manipur specimens, represent the winter and not the summer dress of S. erythrceus. The species seems, in fact, to be peculiarly susceptible to local influences, as every locality represented in the combined Museum and Hume collections has a more or less different race. Thus Bhotan and Western-Assam specimens are dark with a rufous tinging, an Eastern-Assam one pale with a yellowish wash, this leading naturally into the pale Aimole and Machi Manipur specimens. After these, again, comes the darker Noong-zai-bau and Koomberong race, which finally grades into the extremely dark, finely punctulated S. punctatissimus from Dilkoosha, Cachar. 11. SCIURUS LOKRIOIDES, HodgS. a-d. Machi, Aimole, and Phalel, 4/81. e, Jherighat, 1/2/81. 12. SCIURUS LOKRIAH, HodgS. a, b. Aimole, 4/81. 13. SCIURUS MACCLELLANDI, Horsf. a-g. Aimole, 13-25/4/81. h. Machi, 7/5/81. i. Loanglol, 13/2/81. These specimens are interesting as being almost precisely intermediate between the S. macclellandi typicus of Nepal and Assam, and the Tenasserim S. macclellandi barbei, Bly. S. macclellandi swinhoei, M.-Edw., of Moupin, Thibet2, seems also to be a recognizable race of the present species. S. macclellandi possesses six mammae, one lateral and two inguinal pairs. 1 Notes Leyd. Mus. 1883, p. 106. 2 Eech. Mamm. i. p. 308 (1868-1874). |
