i8 95 . MAMMALS OF THE MALAY PENINSULA. 93 



always selects the best berries, the seed passed by it is usually con- 

 sidered the best for planting, and indeed has fetched a high price in 

 the coffee-markets. Musangs are usually easily trapped, but after a 

 few have been caught the rest become wary. The common form of trap 

 is a hemicylinder of sticks about 3 feet long and about 8 inches across. 

 This is propped up with small sticks after the manner of a figure-of- 

 four trap, and some heavy stones put upon it. A plantain is put 

 inside as bait, and the civet on entering the trap to eat it touches the 

 supporting sticks which let fall the cage ; and the stones prevent the 

 civet from lifting it up again. Other modifications of this trap are also 

 used. The civet cat is very easily tamed, especially when caught 

 young, and makes a clever and intelligent pet. 



The larger civets, V. zibetha and V. tangalunga, the " Musang 

 Jebat," do not, I believe, occur wild in Singapore, but are common in 

 the Peninsula, and are often trapped and brought for sale. They are 

 never at all docile, and seldom live long in captivity. 



The Water-mungoose (Herpestes brachyurus) is very rare in the 

 Peninsula. A living example was presented to the Gardens by Dr. 

 Johnston, who obtained it in Tringganu. The natives called it 

 " Musang Babi," Pig-civet, because it bristled up its hair when 

 excited and resembled somewhat a very small wild pig. It lives 

 exclusively on fish, refusing meat, and is very fond of bathing. I 

 know nothing more of its habits, and few natives have ever seen it. 



The Bear-cat (Arctictis binturong), the " Binturong " or " Menu- 

 rong " of the Malays, is generally obtained in Malacca, and is 

 sometimes kept as a pet. It is easily domesticated, and becomes 

 very affectionate, and will follow its master like a dog. It feeds on 

 fruit, also taking small birds, and is of arboreal habits, climbing 

 about well and aiding itself by its prehensile tail, which it uses chiefly 

 to lower itself from branch to branch. When suspicious it growls 

 fiercely, ending up with a kind of barking spit ; when pleased it makes 

 a humming noise. It appears very nervous of snakes, turning its face 

 away and protecting it with its fore-paws, whence I presume it is not 

 a snake-eater. From its enemies it defends itself by trotting quickly 

 forward and biting viciously. When very happy it jumps about with 

 all four feet off the ground in a very comical manner. 



The Common Bear {Helarctos malayanus), " Bruang " of the 

 Malays, is so well known that it is hardly necessary to say anything 

 about it. It is tolerably common in the Peninsula, but is absent from 

 Singapore. Formerly, rewards were offered for its destruction, but it 

 appears to be quite harmless to man unless wounded, when it becomes 

 dangerous. It is, however, a troublesome enemy to fruit growers 

 near the jungle in which it lives, being very partial to durians. A 

 tame one, when it got loose, would often climb up a tree, and breaking 

 off the branches, make a kind of nest in which it would sit for a few 

 minutes ; but I believe that in a wild state it lives, at least usually, in 

 holes dug in the ground, or among ferns and bushes. It is exceedingly 



