N. GYLDENSTOLPE, MAMMALS COLLECTED IN SIAM. 27 



according to Blanford inhabits tbe Malay Peninsula, Ten- 

 asserim, Sumatra and Java. 



32. Lutra sp. — Otters were sparsely distributed över 

 the whole country and fresh tracks were seen several times 

 at different localities. On the Korat plateau I once caught 

 a glimpse of an otter, but before I was ready to shoot it 

 had disappeared. Here they even occurred in verv small 

 rivers which were nearly dried out in the hot season. Un- 

 fortunately I did not get a specimen either from this place 

 or from Central Siarn and therefore I am unable to give their 

 specific name. In Central Siarn, and especially near the pass- 

 ing of the Menam Chao Phaya river through the marshes 

 at Tha Law otters were very abundant, but always very 

 härd to get within range. In the northern parts of the coun- 

 try they were more rare. 



At least two different species probably inhabit Siarn, 

 but up to date very little is known about their distribution 

 in the Indo-Chinese countries. In Siamese otters are called 

 »Nak». 



33. Helarctos malayanus Raffles. — Raffles: Träns. 

 Linn. Soc. 1822, XIII p. 254. — The Malayan Honey Bear 

 occurs here and there on suitable localities över the whole 

 country, but according to my observations it seems to be 

 most common in the North-eastern provinces. During my 

 travels there I several times observed the marks of their 

 powerful claws on the tree-trunks. 



Mr. Eisenhofer had a more than half-grown Honey Bear 

 in his bungalow at Bång Hue Horn, and it chiefly lived on 

 fruits, but it did not even despise rice and curry. It was 

 rather tame, but very of ten it showed a very bad humour 

 giving strong blows with its paws. It was rather intelligent, 

 never attacking the people living in the bungalow, but as 

 soon as a foreigner appeared it at once got very angry then 

 uttering discontented guttural sounds which at last passed 

 över to a fierce roaring. 



When I passed the town of Muang Pré during the first 

 half of March some natives brought me a small nearly blind 

 young, thus these seem to be born at the end of February, 

 or at the beginning of March. at least in Northern Siarn. 



