46 THE DENIZENS OF THE FOREST 



that family. And a beautiful grass-snake, which, 

 as it is limbless, is often mistaken for a tree-snake, 

 is also of the lizard genus. 



Of frogs and toads there are about sixteen 

 species. Among them are several prettily-coloured 

 tree-frogs. Several of the species are recognised by 

 their call. 



Of mammals about eighty-one species are found. 

 They include three monkeys, eight of the cat tribe, 

 two civet cats, one tree cat, two mongooses, two of 

 the dog tribe, five pole-cats and weasels, one ferret- 

 badger, three otters, one cat-bear, two bears, one 

 tree-shrew, one mole, six shrews, two water-shrews, 

 twelve bats, four squirrels, two marmots, eight rats 

 and mice, one vole, one porcupine, four deer, two 

 forest-goats, one goat, one sheep, and one ant-eater. 



The common monkey of India, the Bengal mon- 

 key, is found in large companies at low elevations. 

 The Himalayan monkey is abundant from 3,000 to 

 6,000 feet ; and the Himalayan langur frequents the 

 zone from 7,000 to 12,000 feet. 



The tiger inhabits the Terai at the foot of the 

 mountains, but is only an occasional visitor to 

 Sikkim proper. But the leopard and the clouded 

 leopard are permanent residents and fairly common. 

 This last is of a most beautiful mottled colouring. 

 Another leopard is the snow-leopard, which in- 

 habits high altitudes only. The marbled-cat is a 

 miniature edition of the clouded leopard, and the 

 leopard-cat of the common leopard. The large 

 Indian civet-cat is not uncommon, but the spotted 

 tiger-civet, a very beautiful and active creature, is 



