The Binturong 



reason such a power in the caudal appendage is not in 

 fashion in other parts of the world. The binturong, 

 or, as it should be correctly called, untarong, is, how- 

 ever, one of the few exceptions to this rule, and for 

 this, if for no other reason, is worthy the attention of 

 the sportsman. It is, indeed, the only prehensile-tailed 

 mammal of any size found throughout the three great 

 continents of the Old World. 



The binturong may be compared in size and general 

 appearance to a large, long-tailed, shaggy black cat, 

 with tufts of elongated hair to its pointed ears. And 

 since it cannot be confounded with any other animal, 

 this comparison will suffice. It may, however, be 

 added that, instead of walking on its toes, after the 

 manner of a cat, the binturong applies the whole under 

 surface of the hind-foot to the ground, like a bear. In 

 most specimens there is a more or less marked tendency 

 to a grey grizzling, and in Borneo there is a distinctly 

 grey phase. The length of the head and body ranges 

 between 28 and ^3 inches, and that of the tail between 

 26 and 27 inches. 



The distributional area of the binturong extends 

 from the Malay Islands and Peninsula through Borneo 

 to Assam. Although Dr. W. T. Blanford doubted its 

 alleged occurrence in the Eastern Himalaya, Mr. W. L. 

 Sclater states that it is found as far west as Simla. 

 However this may be, there is no doubt that the 

 animal is a Malay type. 



The binturong has been from time to time exhibited 

 in the London Zoological Gardens ; and as it is purely 

 nocturnal, it is mainly from these captive specimens that 

 the litde we know of its mode of life has been gleaned. 

 It is always found in forests, and is probably for the most 

 part, if not completely, arboreal. Captive individuals 

 have demonstrated the prehensile power of the tail, and 

 have likewise indicated the omnivorous tastes of the 

 creature. As to its breeding-habits, there is oppor- 

 tunity for sportsmen to enlighten naturalists, as there is 



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