626 MR. R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE MAMMALS. [June 23, 
A species of Aonyx, or clawless Otter, is found in Hainan (see 
anted, p. 229); but none of this group has turned up either in South 
China or Formosa. Lutronectes whiteleyi, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1867, 
p- 181, is a long-tailed species from Hakodadi, North Japan. 
36. Fexis Tigris. (Bengal Tiger.) 
Felis tigris, Linn. 
Tigris regalis, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1867, p. 263. 
Tiger-skins are always purchasable at the fur-shops in Canton ; 
and, from their moderate cost, there is no reason to disbelieve the 
statements of the dealers, who affirm that they are procured on the 
hills to the westward of that city. In 1858 several made their 
appearance on the bare hills of the country near Amoy, and com- 
mitted much depredation on the live stock of the farms, and in some 
instances killed and injured the natives. One of these animals swam 
across to Amoy on the 2nd of February, and appeared in the early 
morning squatting, cold and exhausted, outside a temple in the lower 
part of the town, or suburb of Ey-mun-kang. It was hunted into a 
house and locked in. The roof was then partly uncovered, and some 
soldiers were called to dispatch it with matchlocks. This they did 
by firing down through the roof. The dead beast was suspended to a 
bamboo pole, and carried by four men in triumph through the town. 
Ihad it brought into my courtyard and examined it. It was a male, 
and measured from the snout to the root of tail 64 inches, tail30 ; fore 
leg from shoulder 33; circumference of foot 13, footpad 4; length 
of head 14, depth of head 9, circumference of head 29 ; space be- 
tween ears 9; length of ear 5°5; length of upper canine tooth 2; 
circumference of body round thorax 40 ; hind leg 33 ; circumference 
of foot 12. Circumference of hind body (round abdomen) 35; 
round humerus 18, round femur 19, circumference of tail 9°25. It 
weighed 330 Ibs. The skin of this animal was presented to the 
temple in front of which the poor beast in life was first sighted, and 
was afterwards used as a carpet for the chief idol on the shrine. 
The bones were purchased for medicinal purposes by the Taotai, 
or Governor of Amoy; and its flesh was sold in the streets at 
4s. a pound as a preservative against smallpox. Its stomach was 
empty. 
Gn, the 11th November of the same year I chanced to meet a 
Tiger myself. I was on the shore of the mainland opposite Amoy in 
the afternoon looking out for small birds, in company with a friend. 
I carried a gun, but had only small shot and one cartridge. Some 
villagers came running to us crying “Go and shoot the Tiger.” I 
thought they were making game of us, until some of them assured us 
that there really was a Tiger in a neighbouring village, and that they 
would be much obliged if we would killit. They led us to a village 
at the foot of a hill near the shore, where we found men, women, and 
children huddled outside in great alarm, many of the men armed 
with matchlocks. They desired us to take off our boots, and one 
of the men guided us over the roofs of the houses to the last house 
near the hill, and, pointing to a large rock, he bade us listen. We 
