95 



August 26, 1834. 

 William Yarrell, Esq., in the Chair, 



An extensive series was exhibited of skins of Mammalia, collected 

 in Nepal by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., Corr. Memb. Z. S., and pre- 

 sented by that gentleman to the Society. It included twenty-two 

 species, several of which were first made known to science by the 

 exertions of Mr. Hodgson, while others still remain to be described 

 by him. 



A paper " On the Mammalia of Nepal," written by Mr. Hodgson, 

 has been read before the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, and has been 

 published in the ' Journal ' of that Society : but Mr. Hodgson has 

 availed himself of the opportunities which have occurred to him since 

 it WEis written, to make various additions and corrections in the 

 copy transmitted by him to the Society, portions of which have been 

 read at several previous meetings. 



Mr. Hodgson's paper commences by an account of the physical 

 characters of Nepal, which are so varied, according to the elevation 

 of the several districts, as to render it necessary, when treating on 

 its natural productions, to divide it into three regions. The lower 

 region consists of the Tarai or marshes, the Bhawar or forest, and 

 the lower hills, and has the climate of the plains of Hindoostan, 

 with some increase of heat and great excess of moisture. The cen- 

 tral region includes a clusterous succession of mountains, varying in 

 elevation from 3000 to 10,000 feet, and having a temperature of from 

 10° to 20° lower than that of the plains. The juxta-FIimalayan re- 

 gion, or Kachar, consists of high mountains, the summits of which 

 are buried for half the year in snow : the climate has nothing tro- 

 pical about it, except the succession of the seasons. 



Mr. Hodgson then enumerates the Mammalia which have been 

 observed in Nepal, adopting in their arrangement the system of 

 Cuvier, and noticing as regards each the region in which it occurs. 

 He adds occasional remarks as to their habits ; and notices many 

 which appear to him to be undescribed. 



The following is an abstract of this portion of his communication : 



QUADRUMANA 



are limited to the southern region, where Mr. Hodgson is aware of 

 the existence of 



Semnopithecus Entellus, F. Cuv., which has been introduced by 

 religion into the central region, where it flourishes, half domesti- 

 cated, in the neighbourhood of temples. 



