of the Malatjan Peninsula, 401 



Musiela nudipes. The Java Ferret. This animal is about 

 eleven inches long, and its fur is a brilliant golden yellow, with 

 the exception of the forehead and tip of the tail, which are yel- 

 lowish white. The soles of the feet are naked, whence its name. 



Mephitis javanensis, Desm. (syn. Telagon, F. Cuv.) The 

 Javan Mephitic Weasel. The whole of this tribe derive their 

 defence from the power of ejecting an intolerably foetid liquid 

 from their body. Body about sixteen inches long. Fur deep 

 brown ; forehead with a white spot, extended into a dorsal line. 

 Tail very short, and covered with long hair. The Lutra lepto- 

 nyx of Dr. Horsfield is also an inhabitant of the peninsula, and 

 appears to be either the Viverra cafra of Linnaeus, or closely 

 allied to it. 



Viverra musanga, Raffles. The Musang. Fur variegated with 

 ash-colour and black ; faint black stripes on the back. Head, 

 feet and tail black, point of the muzzle white. Stands about 

 the height of a cat, but the body is considerably longer. Fierce 

 and untameable. Emits a strong and sickening smell of musk, 

 especially when irritated, and is very destructive to poultry. 



Felis tigris. The Tiger. This animal is too well known to 

 require any description. It is abundant in the peninsula, but 

 appears to be somewhat less bold than it is in the more arid 

 climate of India. 



Felis melas, Peron and Lesueur (syn. Melas, Cuv.). Spotted 

 Black Tiger. Fur dusky black, spotted with deeper black. Eyes 

 silvery gray, nearly white. About two feet and a half high. 

 This is one of the most ferocious of the species, and very much 

 dreaded by the Malays. Providentially it is comparatively rare, 

 only one, a cub, having been brought into Malacca in the course 

 of three years. Although not much larger than a common cat, 

 he was so exceedingly savage, that after having had him in my 

 possession for a few days, I was obliged to have him strangled. 



Felis javanensis, Cuv., Desm. Javan Tiger-Cat. Fur silvery 

 gray, or gray-brown above, beneath white. Four rows of elon- 

 gated spots along the sides. Head streaked longitudinally with 

 brown and white ; white lunule at the base of each ear. Tail 

 and legs darker than the body. The former shortish, straight, 

 obtuse. Size of the common cat, and resembles in most parti- 

 culars the Felis bengalensis. Fierce. 



Sciurus bicolor, Desm., Gmel. The Java Squirrel. Fur above 

 deep brown or blackish ; below clear fawn-colour, with a white 

 longitudinal stripe dividing the two colours. Eyes encircled with 

 black. Ears not pencilled. About a foot long. Tail the same, 

 distichous. This is a beautiful species of squirrel, but the one 

 which I had in my possession resisted every attempt to tame it. 



