of the Malayan Peninsula. 408 
little or no danger, hunting being totally impracticable from the 
nature of the country, and its flesh is remarkably tender and 
delicious. | 
The Rhinoceros sumatrensis, or Sumatran Rhinoceros, is also 
an inhabitant of the peninsula. 
Tapirus malayanus, Raffles. The Malayan Tapir is to be found 
in the interior, but it is a very scarce animal. The nose of this 
singular quadruped is elongated into a moveable proboscis, which, 
unlike that of the elephant, is unfurnished with a digital process. 
The fur is black, with a broad white patch on the posterior part. 
The tapir is gentle and easily tamed. Sleeps during the day, 
and feeds at night on water-melons, gourds, pasture, &c. 
Neither the horse nor the ass are indigenous to the peninsula, 
and those of the former to be met.with are either Java or Achin 
ponies imported annually for the use of the wealthier class of 
inhabitants. 
Of the Deer species there is the Moschus javanicus of M. 
Desmarest, or the Kantchil, which is a beautiful little animal, 
not larger than a rabbit, and having legs about the thickness of 
a tobacco-pipe. The fur is a deep red-brown on the back and 
white on the belly; three white streaks under the throat. It is 
very abundant, and the flesh strongly resembles that of a rabbit. 
e Cervus muntjac of M. Desmarest is also an inhabitant of 
the peninsula. 
Neither goats nor sheep, although both have been introduced, 
can be said to be indigenous to the soil, nor do the latter thrive 
as well in this part of the world as they do in continental India. 
Bos arnee, Shaw. The Buffalo, Karbau in Malayese. Great 
numbers of buffaloes are domesticated in the peninsula, but I 
have never met with any wild ones. They are not nearly so 
savage as those of the Burman empire. 
_ This is the most useful animal possessed by the Malays, and 
is employed by them for every purpose of draught and agricul- 
ture. The young afford them.a very good substitute for beef, 
and the flock is maintained at a very little expense. From the 
extreme harshness and dryness of the skin, the buffalo suffers 
much during the heat of the day, and is consequently hardly ever 
worked at that time, but allowed to luxuriate, immersed all but 
the head, in a stagnant pool. It is extremely sluggish, not 
moving much above a mile an hour. 
The domestic ox is unknown as an original inhabitant of the 
Malayan peninsula. A few bullocks and cows have been intro- 
duced, but they do not thrive very well on the main. Those on 
the island of Pinang appear to fatten better. Having in the 
few foregoing pages given a summary of the mammalia of the 
Straits, as far as they have passed under my own observation, I 
