72 GraTiam Sandberg — Mammalia of Tibet, [Mat, 



2. Ihe Mammalia of Tibet. — By Graham Sandberg, B.A., 

 Chaplain of Stibatliu, 



(Abstract.) 



The author first remarks upon, and endorses, the fact that the 

 Mammalian Fauna of Tibet is singular. 



He then notices its numerical profusion, especially in certain " her- 

 bivorous species, such as yak, antelope, wild ass, goat, and wild sheep," 

 which occur in the elevated northern tracts of the coantiy in immense 

 herds. 



In seeking for the causes of this numerical abundance he alludes to 

 the fact — recorded by travellers — that the natural food-supply, in the 

 form of coarse grasses, is surprisingly abundant at certain seasons of the 

 year; and he also thinks that the fact that the Tibetans are Buddhist, 

 and are therefore averse to the taking of life, is worthy of consideration. 

 He does not, however, think it yet possible to explain how so many 

 large herbivorous animals can subsist through the long and severe 

 winter, and concludes that many must then perish of hunger. 



The author next proceeds to enumerate the Mammalia found in 

 Tibet, but he explains, first, that by Tibet he means not merely the ele- 

 vated Tibetan plateau of Geologists, but also the lower outlying por- 

 tions of the Indo-Cliinese sub-region of the Oriental Region of Zoologists. 

 He therefore includes in his enumeration "all forms occurring between 

 the southern and northern barriers of the country, and between Ladak 

 and the Szechuan-Yunnan frontier line." Within these limits he re- 

 cognizes 146 species of Mammalia, not including Bats and domestic 

 animals. 



Incidentally the author gives the following interesting information 

 with regard to the country commonly spoken of by Zoologists as 

 Moupin : — ■ 



" It is a district or sub-prefecture lying between, lat. 31° 30' and 

 32° N., and between long. 102° 30' and 102° 50' E., and is so small a 

 tract that to write ' this species inhabits Moupin' would be parallelled by 

 stating of the English weasel ' it is found in Gloucestershire.' The 

 name Moupin occurs in no map : the fact being that the Abbe David 

 has told us the French form of the Chinese name of a Tibetan Distiict. 

 This Moupin, which should be Muping-sze, is a Chinese designation for 

 Nangchhen Sbring-wa, commonly known to Tibetans as Drumba or 

 Jumba. 



" This Drumba, otherwise ' Moupin,' is occupied by a Sifan tribe, 

 and is shut off from China by a lofty snow-capped i-ange styled by 

 Tibetans Gyalmo Mordo. The avei-age elevation may be set at circa 



