i8 9 5. MAMMALS OF THE MALAY PENINSULA. 165 



The natives say that there are two species of deer — the Rusa 

 Daun (foliage deer) or Rusa Ilijau (green deer), and the Rusa 

 Lalang (grass deer), the former residing in the forests, the latter in 

 open grassy country. They are said to differ in colour, and are 

 probably merely local varieties. 



Sirenia : — The Dugong [Halicore dngong) is tolerably common 

 in the strait between Johore and Singapore; but one does not often 

 see it. However, the Chinese sometimes catch it in nets when fishing, 

 and sell it in the markets as food. It is said to live on the marine 

 phanerogam Setul (Enhalus acovoides), but very little is known about 

 it. I have seen it sleeping on the surface of the sea, when it looked 

 like an old brown trunk of a coco-nut tree floating about. It is 

 called " Duyong " by the Malays. It is remarkable that an animal so 

 defenceless and slow should be able to hold its own against the sharks 

 and crocodiles which abound in its haunts. 



Edentata: — Our only representative of this Order is the common 

 Manis javanica, the Tengiling of the Malays. It is frequently found 

 in open sandy country making large burrows in the ground. Termites 

 form its principal food, but ants are also acceptable to it. From the 

 difficulty of feeding it, it is impossible to keep it long in captivity ; 

 but it is often brought for sale, and I have had a female with a young 

 one for some days. In spite of its appearance it can climb trees well, 

 but slowly, using its prehensile tail to aid it, and one would remain 

 for a long time suspended by its tail to a bough, its head curled in 

 between its paws. The Chinese are fond of eating this animal, but 

 the flesh is tough and not worth eating. 



These notes are naturally very incomplete as an account of our 

 mammal fauna, but they may call attention to many points which 

 require settling, and which it is to be hoped intelligent and observing 

 explorers will in time work out. It is only by watching the animals 

 in their native haunts that it is possible to realise the meaning of 

 their special colouring. Much depends on their habits : an animal 

 which is much exposed by day is naturally differently coloured from 

 one which, well concealed by day, exposes itself in the dusk. Animals 

 which change their habits as they develop often change their 

 colouring to suit their environment. The young of the tapir, pig, 

 and kijang illustrate this, lying hid during the day beneath the 

 foliage, where their speckled coats match with the sun-flecked ground. 

 Their parents are weak beasts which are unable to protect them from 

 attacks of enemies, and their only hope of escape is in remaining 

 motionless, so as to be overlooked. When strong enough to seek 

 safety, like their parents, in flight, they adopt the adult colouring. 

 The adult tapir, as has been said, resembles a grey rock. The pig 

 is of the colour of the dark mud of the forests in which it spends 

 the day; but not being quite black, appears at a short distance of 

 a dusky grey in the evening twilight, when it usually leaves the 



