AILURUS. 129 
Jerdon’s outward description is : ‘‘ Above deep ochreous-red ; head and 
tail paler and somewhat fulvous, displayed on the tail in rings ; face, 
chin, and ears within white; ears externally, all the lower surface and 
the entire limbs and tip of tail jet-black ; from the eye to the gape a 
broad vertical line of ochreous-red blending with the dark lower surface ; 
moustache white ; muzzle black.” 
The one at present in the London “ Zoo” is thus described: ‘‘ Rich 
red-chestnut in colour on the upper surface, jet black as to the lower 
surface, the limbs also black, the snout and inside of ears white ; the 
tail bushy, reddish-brown in colour and indistinctly ringed.” 
SizE.—Head and body 22 inches; tail 16; height about 9; weight 
about 8 lbs. 
Jerdon has epitomised Hodgson’s description of the habits of this 
animal as follows: “The Wah is a vegetivorous climber, breeding and 
feeding chiefly on the ground, and having its retreat in holes and clefts 
of rock. It eats fruits, roots, sprouts of bamboo, acorns, &c. ; also, it 
is said, eggs and young birds; also milk and ghee, which it is said 
to purloin occasionally from the villages. They feed morning and 
evening, and sleep much in the day. They are excellent climbers, but 
on the ground move rather awkwardly and slowly. Their senses all 
appear somewhat blunt, and they are easily captured. In captivity 
they are placid and inoffensive, docile and silent, and shortly after being 
taken may be suffered to go abroad. They prefer rice and milk to all 
other food, refusing animal food, and they are free from all offensive 
odour. They drink by lapping with the tongue, spit like cats when 
angered, and now and then utter a short deep grunt like a young bear. 
The female brings forth two young in spring. ‘They usually sleep on 
the side, and rolled into a ball, the head concealed by the bushy tail.” 
(For the full account see ‘ Jour. As. Soc. Beng.’ vol. xvi. p. 1113.) 
Mr. Bartlett, who has studied the habits of the specimen in the London 
Gardens, says that in drinking it sucks up the fluids like a bear instead 
of licking it up like a dog or cat, which disagrees with what Hodgson 
states above. ‘‘ When offended it would rush at Mr. Bartlett, and strike 
at him with both feet, the body being raised like a bear’s, and the claws 
projecting.” 
General Hardwicke was the first to discover this animal, which he 
described in a paper read before the Linnzan Society on the 6th of 
November 1821, but it was not published for some years, and in the 
meanwhile M. Duvaucel sent one to M. F. Cuvier, who introduced it 
first to the world. Some years ago I had a beautiful skin of one offered 
to me for sale at Darjeeling by some Bhotias, but as it was redolent of 
musk and other abominations quite foreign to its innocent inodorous 
self, I declined to give the high price wanted for it. 
