MAXIS. 597 



on ants and termites, the long extensile tongue being used for the 

 capture of the insects. They roll themselves into a ball for defence, 

 and exhibit an enormous muscular power that defies any ordinary 

 attempt to unroll them. 



The genus inhabits the Oriental and Ethiopian regions, the 

 African forms being rather more numerous than the Asiatic and 

 exhibiting more A'ariety. The three Asiatic species agree with 

 each other in having the tail tapering, the limbs entirely covered 

 with scales outside, and the middle row of scales above the tail 

 continuous to the end. All three occur within our area. 



Si/nopsis of Indian, Cei/hnese, and Burmese Species. 



A. Fore claws about twice leugtli of hind claws. 



a. 11 to 13 roAvs of scales round body ^L pcntadacti/In, p. -597. 



b. 15 to 18 rows of scales round body M. aurita, p. 599. 



B. Fore claws but little longer than hind claws . M. javanica, p. 599. 



A characteristic terminal phalanx of a large species of Manis, 

 closely allied to the African M. gir/anfea, has been found in the 

 Pleistocene cave-deposits of Kurnool. Another phalangeal bone, 

 referred to the genus Macrothenum, has been described from the 

 Lower Siwalik of Sind ; but this genus, I am informed by Mr. 

 Lydekker, is probably ungulate, not edentate as formerly supposed. 



399. Manis pentadactyla. The Indian Pangolin. 



Mauls pentadactyla, L. Si/sf. Nat. i, p. 52, partini (1766) ; Si/hes, 

 P. Z. S. 1831, p. 104 ; Horsjield, Cat. p. 196; Blyth, J. A. S. B. 

 xi, p. 453 ; xvi, p. 1273, pi. Iv ; id. Cat. p. 179 ; Jerd. Mam. p. 314 ; 

 Anderson, An. Zool. Res. p. 341, pi. xxiv, figs. 1, 2; W. Sdater, 

 Cat. p. 330. 

 Manis brachyura, Erxl. Syst. Reg. An. p. 98 (1777), partim ; Blyth, 



J. A. S. B. xii, p. 181. 

 Manis crassicaudata, Geoffr. St.-Hilaire, Cat. Mam. p. 213, partim 

 (1803) ; Elliot, Mad. Jour. L. 8. x, p. 218 ; Tickell, J. A. S. B. 

 xi, p. 221 ; Kelaart, Prod. p. 74. 

 Pholidotus indicus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 368. 

 Bdjra-Kit, Sanscr. and H. ; Bajra Kapta, Siordj-mukhi, Situ, Sal Said, 

 Sakunphor, H. ; Kishaur, Pushtu ; Challa, Mirun, Sind ; Shdlma, Bauri ; 

 Armii, Kol ; Thiriya, Kauli-mah, Kauli-manjra, Kassoli-manjui; Mahr. ; 

 Alaiva, Tel. ; Alangu, Tarn, and Mai. ; Kabalaya, Ciug. ; Banrohu (jungle 

 carp), Deccan, &c. ; Keyot-mach, Rangpore ; Kaf-poJiu, Bengal. 



Body and tail stout. Claws of fore feet very long, the middle 

 fore claw double the length of the middle hind claw. Scales on 

 body large, none keeled, as a rule, in adults. There are 11 to 13 

 lougitudinal rows of scales round the body, 14 to 17 in the median 

 (longitudinal) row above the tail, the tail being taken to commence 

 where the scales at the sides become angulate. The scales are 

 about twice as broad as in the other two Indian species. 



Colour of scales light yellowish brown throughout ; naked skin 

 flesh-coloured, nose more livid. 



