SOME TIBETAN ANIMALS. 435 



iitled to 1)0 riuikod as a distinct species, or whether it should be 

 re^rarded merely as a variety of the chijretai. or wild ass of Mon- 

 crolia. and the lowlands of central Asia generally, is a moot point. 

 But. be this as it may, the creature is absolutely confined to the 

 central des(M-t i)lateau of Tibet, where in Avinter it develops a coat 

 as thick and rou<>:h as a door mat, in order to afl'ord etfectual protec- 

 tion against the rigors of that season at such an altitude. 



In addition to the foregoing list of large mammals, Tibet is like- 

 Avise the home of a number of peculiar species of smaller size. 

 Among these it must, hoAvever, suffice to make mention of only two on 

 the present occasion. Firstly, there is a remarkable species of Avatcr 

 shreAv, di tiering in nmny respects from the connnon water shreAv 

 {Neomys fodiens), and accordingly referred to a genus by itself 

 under the name of Xectogale elegans. Of that genus it is the sole 

 knoAvn representative. When Ave are 

 fully acquainted Avith it the Tibetan 

 palm civet {Paradoxurus laniger), 

 at present knoAvn only by a single 

 skin obtained so long ago as 1836, 

 Avill prove almost as interesting a 

 species, for it is quite probable that 

 it Avill turn out to be generally dis- _,^^-' ^ ' ,\ 



tinct from the palm civets of India ' -^ 



and the Malay countries, from Avhich 

 it differs by its woolly coat. 



Such a large number of peculiar 

 generic and specific types of mam- Fig. 5.-Heart of kiang. 



mals restricted to a continental area 



of the comparatiA^ely small size of the Tibetan plateau is a feature 

 unparalleled elscAvhere, and to find an analogous instance we must 

 take the case of an island like Celebes, which has been isolated for 

 ages from all surrounding lands. It Avould seem, therefore, that 

 Tibet has been similarly isolated, so far as immigration and emigra- 

 tion of its animal fauna is concerned, for a A'ast period of time; an 

 insulation due, doubtless, to its great elevation above the sea level, and 

 the consequent severity of its climate and rarity of its atmosphere. 

 Climatic peculiarities of this nature can only be endured by animals 

 especially adapted to such conditions of existence, and it is accord- 

 ingly only natural to expect that Avhen once the Tibetan fauna had 

 become modified for the needs of its environment it would haA^e re- 

 mained permanently isolated from that of the surrounding countries. 



