Jerdon states that these squirrels are mostly seen in the autumn when the chestnuts, of which they are very fond, ripen.
[NO. 279. SCIURUS PYGERYTHRUS.]
HABITAT.—Burmah (Lower Pegu, and common in the neighbourhood of Rangoon).
DESCRIPTION.—Upper parts dark olive grey; basal third of the tail concolorous with the back, its latter two-thirds ringed olive-yellow and black; the tip black; feet olive grey, sometimes washed with yellowish; under surface and inside of limbs orange yellow, which extends also along the middle of the under part of the tail. Paler varieties occur. The skull of this species is smaller than those of S. caniceps, S. Phayrei and S. Blanfordii.
[NO. 280. SCIURUS CANICEPS.]
The Golden-backed Squirrel.
HABITAT.—Burmah (Upper Tenasserim and Tavoy).
DESCRIPTION.—General colour grey or fulvous above; limbs outside grizzled grey; feet yellowish-grey; in some cases the nape, shoulders, and upper parts of back are vivid light ferruginous or golden fulvous, sometimes extending downwards on to the base of the tail. Some have only a trace of this colouring, others none at all. There is infinite variety of colouring in this species, as I observed in my remarks on the genus, and it is closely allied to the next three, if they do not ultimately prove to be the same.
"Out of a large series of specimens referable to S. caniceps, the males illustrate three phases of colouring, associated with a difference in the character of the fur. The first is a grey, the second a yellowish, and the third a phase in which the back becomes brilliant yellowish-red."—Anderson.
[NO. 281. SCIURUS PHAYREI.]
The Laterally-banded or Phayre's Squirrel.
HABITAT.—Burmah. Common in Martaban; has also been obtained at Tounghu.