TAPIR— IRA WAD I DOLPHIN— SQUIRRELS 179 



to differ from the Sumatran and Malay animal by its more abundant hair, now 

 appears to be distinguishable only by its superior size. 



The Malay tapir (Tapirus indicus), which ranges from Tenas- 



serim to Sumatra, and perhaps Borneo, is the only representative of 

 its kind in the Old World. In height it stands about 40 inches at the withers, 

 and has a curved back, measuring along the curve from the tip of the nose to 

 the root of the tail about 8 feet. The head, legs, and the fore part of the body 

 are black or dark brown, the rest of the body and the tips of the ears being white 

 or grey. The young up to six months differ in colour from the adults, being of a 

 soft silky dark brown, marked with brownish yellow spots, especially on the sides ; 

 the under-parts are white. According to native reports, this tapir, instead of 

 swimming, is accustomed to walk along the bottom of rivers or lakes. 

 It feeds on leaves and young sprigs and buds ; and its colouring seems 

 intended to break up the outline of the body, and thus render the animal 

 inconspicuous. 



The Irawadi is inhabited by a fresh-water dolphin of quite a 

 ' different type from the one found in the great Indian rivers. This 

 dolphin (Orcella fluminalis) is characterised by its rounded head, short beak, small 

 scythe-shaped dorsal fin, and moderately large, almost oval flippers. It occurs locally 

 in the Irawadi from Prome to Bhamo in the deeper parts of the river, but has never 

 been observed in the tidal portion, so that it appears to be confined exclusively to 

 fresh water. This dolphin, which is nearly related to another species of the genus 

 (0. brevirostris) inhabiting the Malay seas, is characterised by the small 

 number of its teeth, of which it has in the upper jaw only fifteen, and in the lower 

 jaw fourteen pairs. The sides of the body are marked with numerous small 

 irregular stripes, the ground-colour being pale slaty above and white 

 beneath. The length is about 7£ feet. This dolphin, whose food consists, 

 so far as is known, entirely of fish, is a sociable species, seldom seen alone. 

 It keeps to deep water, coming to the surface about every minute or so to 

 breathe, when it emits a short blowing noise while exhaling and a weaker sound 

 while inhaling. 



Like India, the Malay province is rich in rodents, especially 



the squirrel tribe. In the eastern Himalaya, Sikhim, Bhutan, and 

 the large mountain-forests of Assam, Manipur, Burma, Siam, the Malay Peninsula, 

 Sumatra, Java, and Borneo, and even in Celebes, the large Indian squirrel is 

 replaced by the nearly allied Malay form (Ratufa bicolor). Similar in habits to the 

 Indian species, this squirrel is generally seen in pairs; it eats fruits and nuts of various 

 kinds, as well as insects and birds' eggs, and has a loud harsh cry. In colour it is 

 black or dark brown above, and paler underneath. The black-backed squirrel 

 (Sciurus atrodorsalis) has a black stripe on the back ; its tail is 7 inches long, the 

 body measuring 8^ inches. It inhabits Siam, but is represented in northern 

 Tenasserim by 8. flavimanus. Both are remarkable not only for their varied 

 coloration, but for being generally found not among tall trees, but in bushes and 

 hedges near villages or in bamboo thickets. There are many other Malay squirrels , 

 and flying-squirrels are also common in the Malay countries, but marmots and 

 susliks are absent. 



Squirrels. 



