172 Capt. R. C. Tytlcr on the Fauna of Dacca. 



known at Dacca, but it is replaced by a fine species found in the 

 jungles and by no means uncommon. The European residents as 

 well as the natives appeared not to know of the existence of this 

 animal, and were astonished at my bringing home several speci- 

 mens ; they were also found in mango topes and small orchards. 

 This Squirrel is decidedly not S. lokriah of Hodgs., and appears 

 to differ from S. lokroides of Hodgs., to which however it bears 

 a strong resemblance and is closely allied. I would therefore, if 

 the species is new, and I have every reason to believe it 

 is, suggest for it the name of S. blythii, after my esteemed friend 

 E. Blyth, Esq. The colour of this Squirrel is of a peculiar yel- 

 low-gray above ; the whole of the under surface, as well as the 

 inner side of the legs, are of a light gray ; on the back the yel- 

 lowish hue is most perceptible, sprinkled over with abundance 

 of minute black marks ; the whiskers are black ; eyes full, bril- 

 liant and dark ; the tail bushy and carried over the back ; the 

 inner part of the thighs is brownish ; the entire length of the 

 animal is 15 inches, of which the tail measures alone 1\. They 

 are by no means timid, but after being once disturbed and 

 alarmed, run and hide among the branches and are most difficult, 

 to obtain. 



One of the most common species of Mammalia, and which 

 cannot fail to attract the notice of the most unobservant, are the 

 common tame Otters of the fishermen in this neighbourhood 

 (Lutra chinensis) ; several are kept by each family for the express 

 purpose of catching fish, and the nicety with which they train and 

 educate these Otters is extraordinary. I have invariably found 

 them fishing in small streams, branches of rivers, or swamps ; the 

 method adopted is as follows : — a boat is usually fastened to a 

 stake a few yards from the bank, the sides of the boat seldom 

 exceeding a few inches in height from the surface of the water ; 

 the Otters, usually two or three, jump overboard and swim about 

 the neighbourhood of the boat, diving and catching fish ; these 

 they carry to the side of the boat and drop in ; the sport con- 

 tinues for several hours, the fishermen in the meantime remaining 

 on shore otherwise engaged. Another mode adopted for fishing 

 with Otters is to train these animals to drive fish into nets placed 

 for that purpose. 



The large Bengal Tiger (Felis tiyris) and the common Leopard 

 (Felis leoj)ardus) are by no means uncommon, both species fre- 

 quently visiting the neighbourhood of cantonments sufficiently 

 near to render their presence anything but agreeable to the 

 inhabitants. Leopards have been shot within the boundaries of 

 cantonments. I had a magnificent specimen of Felis viverrinus 

 sent to mc. This species appears very rare, few of the older 

 residents being aware of its occurrence at Dacca ; the party who 



