Dr. Horsfield's Researches in Java. 393 



of Squirrel, described in his *' Zoological Researclies in Java," 

 the Sciuriis PUmtani and S. insignis ; and also with the Bangsnng 

 of the Javanese, a remarkable animal approaching in certain cha- 

 racters to the genera Sot ex and Mi/gale among the Insectivorous 

 Carnivora, but in other characters strikingly resembling the genus 

 Tarsius in the order Qundrumanay and masked, in addition, by 

 the external form and appearance of Sciurus^ belonging to the 

 Rodentia. On two other species of this singular form among 

 Mammalia, as we shall have occasion further to notice in the 

 sequel, Sir S. Raffles afterwards founded the genus Tupaia ; and 

 adopting this generic appellation, derived from the Malay name 

 for the animals. Dr. Horsfield has described the Bangsring under 

 the name of T. Javunicu. In the same forests of Blami)angan, in 

 the eastern districts of Java, in which Dr. Horsfield first collected 

 the Tupaia, he also discovered the FelisJavanensis, a new species 

 among the smaller animals of that genus, since denominated F. mi- 

 nuta by Temmiuck, by an unnecessary change of name; together, 

 in the year 1806, with the Deltindiing of the natives, now called 

 by its discoverer Pr/'onudon gracilis, an animal equally interesting 

 ■with the Tupaia, though in a different branch of mammalogy, as 

 exhibiting in an approach towards the Vivena; a deviafion of the 

 genus Felis from its type, aifording the first known link of con- 

 nexion between the feline tribe and the smaller animals among the 

 typical groups of the order Curnivora.* 



* Tlie history of the progress of inquiry respecting the station in the groups 

 oi Mammifera of this animal, affords an interesting illustration of the important 

 assistance in tlio classification of subjects of natural history, to be derived 

 from the principles advocated in \he HorccEnlomologiccB of Mr.W. S. MacLoay, 

 As we shall Hnd the interference of Mr. Raffles to have been mainly concerned 

 in securing for British Zoologists the support their late researches and con- 

 clusions in the most elevated paths of the science have received from Dr. 

 Horsfield's labours, both as a collector and a niiuiralist, it will not be irrele- 

 vant briefly to relate this history. 



When Dr. Horsfield first discovered the Delundiing, its dental characters, 

 lengthened muzzle, slender body, and five toes on iUhind feet, appeared to him 

 to refer it to the genus Viverra, as defined by Gmelin ; and under this generic 

 denomination lie mentioned it in a catalogue transmitted to this country in the 

 year 1812. And in 1819, that zealous cultivator of Indian zoology, General 

 llardwicke. inlluviiicd, probably, by the same consideiations described it 



