400 Capt. P. J. Begbie 07i the Natural History 



laycse. This is the largest of the Bat genus, the body measuring 

 from nine inches to a foot in length, and the spread of the wings 

 being fully five feet. It is destitute of a tail. The upper part 

 of the neck is of a dusky red hue, and the remainder of the fur 

 black, intermingled with a few white hairs. It is gregarious, 

 and may be seen hanging in clusters from the extremities of the 

 boughs of a tree in most parts of the peninsula. They fly very 

 high and evenly, quitting their retreats about an hour before 

 sunset, and winging their way in an easterly direction, far above 

 the tops of the loftiest trees. About an hour after sunrise they 

 return in the same manner to their nocturnal retreat, and appa- 

 rently accomplish at least four or five miles each trip without 

 halting ; a flock of them migrating thus regularly every evening 

 from Sebang to Taboo, whence they returned the following 

 morning. From the extreme height at which they soar, they are 

 inaccessible by small shot ; and the only one that I ever saw killed 

 was shot at BelFs Stockade, in December 1832, by an officer of 

 the 23rd Madras light infantry with a single ball. As it was 

 shot through the heart, it fell perpendicularly ; but the distance 

 between the sportsman and the spot where it impinged was a 

 hundred measured yards, so that, taking its extreme height into 

 consideration, it could have been little less than double that 

 range from the sportsman. 



P. TO stratus, Horsfield, Desm. The Dog-Bat of Java. Fur 

 pale brown. Body three inches. Spread of the wings eleven 

 inches. 



Cephalotes Pallasii, Geoff"., Desm. (syn. Vespertilio cephalotes, 

 Linn.) The Malacca Bat. Three and a half inches long ; spread 

 of the wings fourteen inches. Fur above cinereous, beneath 

 whitish. 



Besides the foregoing, there are several species of bats ; but 

 as their habits present nothing peculiar, I pass on to the con- 

 sideration of the Erinaceus Malaccensis, Linn., Desm. (syn. 

 Hystrix hrachyura, Linn.) The Malacca 'Hedgehog. 



This animal is about eight inches long, and is armed with 

 very long spines pointing parallel to each other. From it is 

 procured the bezoar, known by the name of Piedra del porco. 



Ursus malayanus, Raffles. The Malay Bear. This species 

 is covered with smooth black fur, having a heart-shaped patch 

 of yellowish white on the throat. It is very abundant amongst 

 the low ranges of wooded hills in the peninsula, a great number 

 of which have been called by the Malays Bukit Bruan, or Bears' 

 Hill, in consequence of their resorting thither. It is singular 

 that the Bruan of the Malays should so closely assimilate in 

 sound with our term Bruin. They are savage and not to be 

 trusted. 



