THE PEN-TAIL. 



443 



was 1= 



toes, the three middle toes being longer than the others. The muzzle is much lengthened, 

 but is cut off rather abruptly at its termination. The eyes are small in proportion to the 

 dimensions of their owner, and the ears are small, rounded, and devoid of hairy covering 



One distinguishing peculiarity of the animal is, that the fur which covers the body 

 and head is pierced by a number of very long bristling hairs, that project for a consider- 

 able distance from the body, and are much longer on the neck and shoulders than on 

 any other portion of the body. The color of the creature is a rather peculiar mixture 

 of black and white, which are arranged as follows : the greater part of the body, the 

 upper portion of the legs, and the beginning of the tail, are black ; while the head, the 

 neck, and flanks and the remainder of the tail, are white. There is also a black stripe 

 over each eye, which forms a bold contrast with the white fur of the head. 



Like the preceding animals, the Bulau is pos- 

 sessed of glands which secrete a substance of a 

 powerful musky smell. For the introduction of 

 this animal to science we are indebted to Sir 

 Stamford Raffles, who brought it from Sumatra, 

 and, taking it for one of the viverrine animals, 

 described it under the name of Viverra Gymnura. 



THE extraordinary animal which has been re- 

 recently brought before the notice of zoologists, 

 under the characteristic name of PEN-TAIL, is a 

 native of Borneo, from which country it 

 brought by Mr. Hugh Low. 



It is about the size of a small rat, but appears 

 to be of greater dimensions on account of its 

 extremely long tail with the remarkable appen- 

 dage at its extremity. As may be seen from the 

 engraving, the tail is of extraordinary length 

 when compared with the size of the body, and is 

 devoid of hair except at its extremity, where it 

 is furnished with a double row of stiff hairs on 

 each side, which stand boldly out, like the barbs 

 of a quill pen, or the feathers of an arrow. The 

 remainder of the tail is covered with scales, which 

 are square in their form, like those of the long- 

 tailed rats, and of considerable size. The color 

 of the tail is black, and the bristly barbs are 

 white, so that this member presents a peculiarly 

 quaint aspect. 



The fur which covers the body of the Pen-tail 

 is extremely soft in texture, and is of a blackish- 

 brown tint above, fading into a yellowish-gray 

 beneath. As the tips of the hairs are tinged with 

 a yellow hue, the precise tint of the fur is rather 

 indeterminate, and is changeable, according to 

 the position of the hairs which are exposed to 

 view. The specimen which is preserved in the 

 British Museum was captured by Mr. Low in the 

 house of Sir James Brooke, the celebrated Rajah 

 of Sarawak. 



It is presumed that the long tail of the Pen-tail is used for the purpose of balancing 

 itself in its progress among the branches of trees ; but this conjecture is only problem- 

 atical, as the habits of the animal are not yet known. By the arrangement and form of 

 the teeth, it is supposed to be allied to the Tupaias, which are described on page 

 430, and with which animals it would have been placed but for an unavoidable 

 omission. 



PEN-TAIL. Ptllocercus Lowll. 



