905 



MOSCHID^E. 



MOSCHID^E. 



806 



the possibility of access to the precipitous summits to which it flies. 

 And yet the slaughter made among them must at one time have been 

 great, and the animals abundant ; for Tavernier bought in one journey 

 7673 musk-bags. The bag, or tumor, containing this well-known drug 

 is peculiar to the male : it is kidney-shaped, pendulous, of the size of 

 a hen's egg, and situated beneath the abdomen. There are said to be 

 two apertures, the larger oblong, the smaller round, and covered with 

 hair : and on the application of pressure the musk may be forced 

 through the apertures. It is brown and unctuous. This bag the 

 hunters cut off, and tie it up for sale, but, like everything that is 

 calculated for the use of man and is the object of commerce, it is said 

 to be adulterated by the admixture of foreign matter, and pieces of 

 lead are stated to have been found enveloped in it, for the purpose of 

 increasing the weight. The musk which comes from Tibet is con- 

 sidered the beat, and used to bear the highest price ; the bag is more 

 or less full, and the quality more or less good, according to the age 

 and health of the animal. When dry, musk is dark-brown, inclining 

 to red, or rusty-black, and appears more or less granulated. To the 

 taste it is rather bitter and somewhat acrid. It is perhaps the strongest 

 and most pungent of perfumes, and so subtle that every thing near it 

 becomes infected, and for a long time retains the odour; vessels of 

 silver even, a metal Tvhich, as much as if not more than others, readily 

 becomes purified from odorous substances, do not part with the Bcent 

 of musk, which may have been placed in them, for a long time. 

 When fresh, or exposed in large quantities, its effects upon the nervous 

 system are said to be absolutely violent ; and it is stated that blood 

 has been forced from the nose, eyes, and ears, of those who have im- 

 prudently inhaled the vapour of a considerable quantity. When 

 Chardin made his purchases, he secured himself from the sudden 

 effects of the smell by covering his face with a handkerchief several 

 times folded. The mere skin of the animal fills the place where it is 

 kept with the perfume for a long period. In medicine it is used for 

 nervous and convulsive cases in considerable doses. The flesh of the 

 animals, though that of the males is rather highly flavoured with musk, 

 is eaten by the Russians and Tartars. In ruttiug-time this flavour is 

 most predominant. 



It U a native of Tibet ; the province of Mohang Meng in China ; 

 Tonquin, and Bootan; about the lake Baikal; and near the rivers 

 Yenesei and Argun. Found from lat. 60 to 44 or 45 ; but never 

 wanders so far south, except when forced through hunger, by great 

 falls of snow, when it migrates to feed on corn and new-grown rice. 

 (Pennant.) 



Muk, or Tibet Musk (Jfoscliiu ifoickifenu). 



The description given by Linnaeus of this species is an example of 

 his great neatness. He describes the Tibet Musk as M oacliut folliculo- 

 umlMicali ; and this is the distinction of the species, as far as we yet 

 know. It does not appear to have been known to the ancients, but 

 seems to have been first mentioned by the Arabians. Serapion 

 described it in the 8th century. 



There are three other species of Moschus M. Sibincus, the Kubaya, 

 a native of Siberia ; M. Uucoj/aster, the White-Bellied Musk, a native 

 of Nepaul ; M. chrytogater, the Golden-Eyed Musk, also from Nepaul. 

 The Motckut aqualicus, Ogilby, the Boomorah of West Africa, is the 

 // ,/ motckui aquaticut of Gray. 



Mciainna Jadica (Moschia Meminna, Linn.). It is the only species 

 known. 



Length about 17 inches. Ashy-olive; throat, breast, and belly 

 white, sides and haunches spotted and barred transversely with white : 

 ears large and open, tail very short. Weight about 5J Ibs. 



It i a native of Ceylon and Java. (Pennant.) Colonel Sykes 

 informs us that it U the Peesoreh of the Mahrattas, and that it is found 



in considerable numbers in the dense woods of the Western Ghauts, 

 but never on the plains. (' Zool. Proc.,' 1831.) Pennant described it 

 from a drawing communicated by Governor Loten, of Ceylon. 



Skeleton o 



Tragulits Jaiianicus, Pallas (MoscJius Javanicus, Gmelin and Raffles ; 

 M. Napu, F. Cuvier), is the size of a large hare. Body heavy. Limbs 

 very delicate. Head arched and long. Eyes large, but not expressive. 

 General colour brown mixed with blackish-gray or yellow reflections ; 

 yellow predominating along the back and tail, on tbe legs, the neck, 

 and head ; the gray and black prevail on the lower part of the 

 shoulders, on the sides, and thighs. These different tints are the 

 result of the colouring of the hairs, which on those parts which are 

 yellow are of that colour for the greatest part of their length and 

 black at the point, and where the hairs lie very thick and one on the 

 other, some of the parts appear black. Lower jaw white ; two white 

 lines which spring from it extend thence beyond the cheeks; two 

 other white bands spring from the same point as the first, and 

 terminate at the shoulders ; a middle band descends on the breast, 

 widening in its descent, and is lost in the white of that part. The 

 upper edge of the first two white bands is bordered with black, and 

 the other bands are all separated from each other by hairs of a 

 brownish-black colour. Belly, anterior and upper part of the hind 

 legs, posterior and upper part of the fore legs, and the under part of 

 the tail, white. End of the muzzle naked. Eyes surrounded with a 

 naked part, from which springs a baud without hairs which goes to 

 the muzzle. These naked parts are black with a slight tint inclining 

 to violet. The toes are united, by a rather loose membrane, nearly 

 to the origin of the hoofs, which are very long and pointed ; the 

 spurious hoofs are also long, cylindrical, and pointed. Length about 

 24 inches. Height to the shoulder rather more than 9 inches, to the 

 top of the haunches rather more than a foot. 



Mr. Bennett observes that M. F. Cuvier regards five radiating bands 

 as the distinctive character of the Napu, and three as that of the 

 Kanchil ; whereas, in truth, the number is the same in both, and the 

 difference is only in their disposition. 



The Napu comes from Java aud Sumatra. 



Sir Stamford Raffles states that this species frequents thickets near 

 the sea-shore and feeds principally upon tha berries of a species of 



