The Mammals of the Malay Peninsula. 



Part III. 



UNGULATA : — As might be expected, the larger Ungulates are 

 absent from so small an island as Singapore ; but Deer (Cervus 

 equinus), Wild Pig (Sus cristatus), and the small Mouse-deer (Tragulus) 

 still occur, the latter being abundant. In the Peninsula are also the 

 Elephant, Rhinoceros (one or two species), Tapir, Wild Ox (one or 

 two species), the Kijang (Cervulus muntjac), and the Wild Goat 

 (Nemorhcedus sumatmnus). 



The Wild Pig (Sus cristatus), or " Babi Hutan," is far too 

 abundant. It is most destructive to the pineapple- and tapioca-fields. 

 Coming out of the woods at night and falling on the crops, it 

 contrives to do a great deal of damage in a very short time. It is not 

 entirely nocturnal, for one may often see it moving about in the day- 

 time, and I have seen boars feeding among the buffaloes in the 

 swamps at midday. The young are spotted with yellow, like the 

 young of the tapir. 



The habits of the Rhinoceros here are but little known, and it is 

 by no means certain how many species there are. The Malays call it 

 " Badak," and they also talk of a beast by name " Badak Api " 

 (lit., fire-rhinoceros). From the only native I ever met who could 

 tell me about the latter animal, I gathered it had a red appearance, 

 and guess it to be perhaps R. sumatrensis. The animal is not often 

 seen, and I never heard of one being trapped. Europeans sometimes 

 shoot them, but never take the trouble to bring any specimens home, 

 so that it is really difficult to decide what species we really have. 

 The common one appears to be R. sondaicus. It frequents the hill- 

 jungles, ascending to 4,000 feet altitude, and seems usually to move 

 about at night, though one may come upon it by day. It has a habit 

 of constantly using the same track, and dropping its dung in the 

 same place daily, a habit common also to the tapir. As the jungle 

 gets cleared, it wanders often into the low, open country, apparently 

 losing its way. It is a quiet, inoffensive beast. 



The Tapir (Tapivus malayanus) is called " Tenok " by the Malays ; 

 the name " Kudah ayer " (water-horse) given as a Malay name in some 

 Natural History books is not known to any native I have ever met, 

 and appears to be entirely fictitious. This animal is still tolerably 



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