370 AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 



, With regard to the CetAce^e it is possible that during the 

 rains an occasional Platanista or Gangetic porpoise may force 

 its way up some of the large rivers. I cannot say, however, that 

 I remember having heard of any one observing a specimen, 

 and I have never been in these districts myself during the rains. 



Among the Rodentia we have the Central-Indian Red 

 Squirrel (S. maximus), which is tolerably common in some of 

 the heavy jungles, but is by no means generally distributed. 

 I have had several of these animals in captivity and found 

 them to be most amusing pets. The two nearly allied species 

 of Striped Squirrel (S. palmarum) and (S. tristriatns) also 

 probably occur, one or both may be seen very universally 

 throughout. 



Next comes the Brown Flying Squirrel (Pteromys petau- 

 risla), which is not very abundant, but is well known to the 

 inhabitants living in or near the southern jungles. Being 

 nocturnal in its habits it probably often escapes notice. Of 

 the Murini^e — Rats and Mice — though I have collected several 

 species, I am unable to give anything like a detailed 

 enumeration. 



In the next family, the Hystricid.e, we have at least one 

 example in the Indian Porcupine. A specimen which I shot 

 in Sirguja appeared to me to belong to that species (H. leucura) 

 rather than to the one known as the Bengal Porcupine 

 (H. Bengalensis) which however may possibly occur too. 



The sole representative of the Leporid^e that I am certain 

 of is (Lepus ruflcaudatus) ; but the Hispid Hare (L. liispidus) 

 may possibly occur, as it has been recorded from the Rajmehal 

 hills, where on one occasion, during a beat for large game, 

 I saw it myself. 



The next family includes the Elephant, E. Indicus. In Chota 

 Nagpur the Elephant inhabits the long range of hills which 

 separates Manbhum from Singhbhum and runs down to the 

 borders of Midnapur. 



Again it is found on the borders of Singhbhum in the jungle 

 which forms a part of the large hilly tree jungle of Mohur- 

 bunj, a tributary state outside our limits. It is also found in 

 the extreme west in Korea and towards Matin and Uprora. 



The Kedda operations of the last few years, conducted 

 for the Government by Captains Johnstone and Hunter, and by 

 the Regent of Sirguja aud some of his relatives, on their own 

 account, have tended to diminish the numbers very matei'ially. 

 Thus in 1871 nearly the whole of the herd of between 40 and 

 50 individuals, which existed in the first-mentioned range 

 of hills, were captured by Captain Huuter., 



