Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

III. ON AN ABERRATION OF SCIURUS PREV0ST1
FREVOSTI FROM SOUTH WESTERN PAHANG.
By Herbert C. Robinson, C.M.Z.S.
Three races of the handsome Raffles squirrel are recognizable
in the Malay Peninsula, two very distinct, and the
third somewhat indefinite both in range and characters.
These are
Sciurus prevostii prevostii, Desm.
Desm. Mamiu. p. 335 (18221.
Range. The Southern portion ot the Malay Peninsula not
north of a line drawn from the northern border of the territory
of Malacca to Kuala Kurau on the Pahang River.
This form is at once distinguishable by having the white
side stripe continuous from ankle to ear over the shoulder.
Sciurus prevostii wrayi, Kloss.
Kloss, Joum. Fed. Malay States Mus. iv, p. 148 (,1911).
Range. From the Siamese Malay State of Trang, through
the districts of Selama and Temengoh in northern Perak and
across the main range of the Peninsula to the headwaters ot
the Pahang and Tahan Rivers. Range northwards on the
east side of the Peninsula not yet determined.
This form is separable from the other two by having a
wash of ochraceous fulvous on the shoulder, thereby breaking
the continuity of the white lateral stripe. In the next race
this wash is almost as deep in colour as the feet.
Sciurus prevostii humei, Bonhote.
Bonhote, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) vii, p. 170 (1901).
Range. Central and Southern Perak to the south of
Selangor.
In this form the ochraceous chestnut of the shoulder is
broadly in contact with the black of the back.
Of the first race, Sc. p. prevostii, the Federated Malay-
States Museums, possess a series of skins from Nyalas,
Malacca, which are practically topotypes of the species and
call for no special remark. They have the hands and feet
chestnut, the extremities of the fingers and toes sometimes
rather paler, tending to orange buff, while in one case the feet
near the ankle are clad with speckled black and grey hairs
mingled with the chestnut, though this colouring is not symmetrical.