LUTKA. 187 



species, besides L. vulyaris, L. ellioti, and L. leptonyx, is found in 

 Nepal. 



There is in the first place the skull to which Dr. Gray gave the 

 name of Barangia nepalensis. Baranyia was a genus founded on 

 the hairy-nosed Malay otter (Lutra gumatrana). The Nepal skull 

 is imperfect behind, but Mould, if perfect, probably be about 

 4 inches long. The zygomatic breadth is 2-45. The teeth are 

 small. There is much resemblance to the skull of L. sumatrana, 

 but the hinder upper molar is differently shaped, the inner lobe 

 having the same antero-posterior length as the outer. In the 

 Malay species the inner lobe is smaller. This skull is perfectly 

 distinct from those of all known Indian otters. 



There is also a flat skin of an otter, rich dark brown throughout, 

 slightly paler and with a golden tinge below. The fur is thick and 

 woolly and somewhat harsh. Both texture and colour may be due 

 to some preservative process. The skin is stretched and distorted, 

 having evidently been hung up by the nose to dry, and it is im- 

 possible to say whether the nose was hairy or not. This may be 

 the dyed skin of a young L. vulgaris, or it may, as Anderson has 

 suggested, belong to the same animal as the skull already men- 

 tioned. The circumstance that only one of each exists in the 

 collection is in favour of the latter view. 



Hodgson, as quoted above, gives varying measurements and 

 Aveights, and from this it might be inferred that he examined more 

 than one individual. I can find no information about the animal 

 in his MS. notes. 



It is very probable that L. sumatrana, the hairy-nosed Malay 

 otter (L. barang of Cantor, though not, as Anderson has shown, 

 I. c. p. 204, of F. Cuvier), may extend its range into Tenasserim 

 and even further north. This species and its skull are figured by 

 Anderson (1. c. pis. x, xii). It is a large otter, the length of the 

 head and body in an old male, according to Cantor, being 32| 

 inches, tail 20, and the colour is deep rich brown throughout, 

 except on the chin and throat, which are whitish. The nose is 

 entirely hairy in young specimens, but in older individuals the 

 hairs become partially worn off. That a third species, besides 

 L, ellioti and L. leptonyx, is found in Pegu is suggested in Col. 

 McMaster's notes. 



95. Lutra leptonyx. The clawless Otter. 



Lutra leptonyx, Horsfeld, Res. Java (with figure) ; Blyth, Cat. 



p. 73 ; Jerdon, Mam. p. 89. 



Imtra indigitata, Hodgson, J. A. S. B. viii, p. 320. 

 Aonyx leptonyx, Cantor, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 195 ; Horsjield, Cat. 



p. 117 ; Blyth, Mam. Birds Burma, p. 28. 

 Chusam, Bhot. ; Suriam, Lepcha ; Anjing-ayer, Malay. 

 Tail about half the length of the head and body. Head short, 



