3^4 Life of Sir Stamford Raffles. 



In th^same year, 1806, Dr. Horsfield obtained his first specimen 

 of that beautiful species Falco ccerulescens^ the smallest of its race, 

 previously made known by Edwards, but with which Dr. Horsfield's 

 researches have first rendered naturalists familiar; and which, 

 uniting the characters of the Hawks and the Falcons, has been 

 erected into the genus Uier^ax^ by Mr. Vigors, as a distinct type of 

 form. At the same period he discovered the genus EurylaimuSy 

 forming the immediate connexion, as Mr, Vigors has pointed out, 



in a paper afterwards published in the Transactions of the Linnean Society, 

 under the name of Viverra? Linsang ; though it would appear, from the 

 mark of interrogation, that he was doubtful of its really belonging to that 

 genus. But when Dr. Horsfield re-examined this animal, preparatory to 

 describing it in his " Zoological Researches," the preponderance of what 

 appeared to be its natural character, determined him to associate it with the 

 genus Fdis^ under the specific appellation of gracilis, derived from its slender 

 make. At the same time its peculiarities rendered it necessary for him to 

 construct and define for its reception a distinct section of Felis, for which he 

 proposed the denomination of Prionodontidoe, from the distinguishing dental 

 characters of the animal. 



Shortly after this determination, however, the attention of Zoologists in 

 general became directed to Mr. MacLeay's profound views of natural arrange- 

 ment, and Dr. Horsfield, when subsequently induced rigorously to re-consider 

 the Felis gracilis, whilst examining a Javan species of Mangusta, (one of the 

 modern divisions of the genus Viverra,) guided by the laws Mr. MacLeay had 

 developed, arrived at the following conclusions : that the feline animals consti- 

 tuted one series and the viverrine another series in the animal kingdom; that the 

 resemblance of the F. gracilis to the Mangusta Javanica and other Viverrce was 

 founded only on relations of analogy, whilst by its relations of affinity it was 

 associated with the Feles ; and finally that this animal must be regarded as 

 the type of a distinct genus in the family comprising the species of the Linncean 

 Felis, to vv^hich he gave the name of Prionodon ; the difficulties which had 

 occurred in the classification of the animal being thus entirely removed. See 

 Zool. Res. art. Mangusta Javanica. 



Such then has been the progress and result of the inquiry respecting the 

 station in nature of the Prionodon gracilis; but whilst this animal, it may be 

 remarked, thus evidently belongs to the family ofFelida;, it as evidently apper- 

 tains to a group in that family approximating to the Viverrce. And as the ch'A- 

 racters oi the Felis jubaia, Schieb,, or Hunting Leopard, exhibit a deviation 

 from the type of the genus towards the Dogs, (see Zool. Journ. vol. ii. p. 528 ;) 

 combining these facts, we appear to have an indication of part of the succession 

 of affinities among the Carnivora, in the situation of Felis, Linn,, between 

 Viverra, Gmel., and some of the modern gections of Canis^ Linn. 



