MONKE YS— CARNI FOR A 2 2 5 



desert, forming the north-western branch of the Gobi, which at other times is a 



barren waste, is carpeted with flowers. The Gobi is separated by the Kuen Lun 



Mountains from the plateau of Tibet, an area of very scanty vegetation and almost 



entirely devoid of trees, where the sandy soil produces only a few grasses and other 



plants together with low bushes. The Tibetan plateau, in its turn, is bounded by 



the mountains of south-eastern Tibet at the point of exit of the four large rivers, 



the Irawadi, Salwin, Mekon, and Yang-tsi. The mountains are cleft in all 



directions by valleys which develop a richer vegetation than that of the plateau 



itself. In the north-west Tibet is bordered by the tableland of the Pamirs, or 



Roof of the World, where the Himalaya unites with the other great ranges of 



central Asia, namely, the Karakorum, the Kuen Lun, the Tian-Shan, and the Hindu 



Kush, to form an almost rectangular mountain group attaining an average height 



of 12,000 feet, and therefore to a great extent above the limits of tree-growth, while 



many of its higher peaks tower considerably over 20,000 feet. An extensive 



portion of this tract consists of desert valleys and steppes ; but in some parts dense 



bushes clothe the banks of the rivers, and vegetation abounds on the slopes of the 



highlands. 



The fauna of the area under consideration includes many animals common to 



the adjacent tracts, or species and races nearty related to the same. Some of its 



animals are, however, related to American types, and a large number are peculiar 



to the province, and it is these which claim principal attention. 



Among the mammals of the Chinese area are a few monkeys. 

 Monkeys. . . J 



The highlands of eastern Tibet and the mountains of Sze-chuan, 



especially those parts which are covered with snow during the greater part of the 



year, are inhabited by the orange snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellance), a 



brilliantly coloured species, taking its name from the peculiar shape of its nose. 



Another member of the same genus (R. bieti) is a native of the Mekon Valley, a 



third (R avunculus) inhabits lower Tonkin, and a fourth (R. brelichi) central 



China. In the same tract as the first dwells the Sze-chuan macaque (Macacus 



arctoides), a large brown, stump-tailed species, inhabiting the coldest and most 



inaccessible forests of Sze-chuan. To the same group belongs the macaque of 



Japan (31. fuscatus), in w T hich, however, the short tail is more thickly haired and 



terminates in a tuft. 



Among the beasts - of - prey are the long-haired Manchurian 

 Carnivora. . . . . 7 . . . . 



tiger (Felis tigris longipihs), the heavily-spotted and thick-built 



Manchurian leopard (F. pardus villosa), and the snow-leopard or ounce (F. undo). 



The last of these, whose range extends at least as far east as the Altai, is 



found throughout the mountains of central Asia. Its ground-colour is whitish 



grey, marked with black spots, which form irregular rosettes on the back, sides, 



and tail, and are much larger than those of the true leopard. The ocelot-like 



Fontanier's cat (F. tristis), the smaller but allied F. scripta, and a race of the golden 



cat (F. temmincki wardi) are likewise distinctive of this tract. The most 



remarkable member of the dog tribe inhabiting this limit is the raccoon-dog (Cants 



nprocyonoides) of the Amur district and Japan, which takes its name from its 



superficial resemblance to a raccoon, and is characterised by its pointed muzzle, 



short, rounded ears, shaggy coat, and mingled black and yellow coloration. 

 vol. 11. — 1 t 



