TUPAIA JAVANICA. 



hairs, and a few solitary bristles arise from the cheeks and chin. The eyes are very 

 large and prominent, and situated at an equal distance from the gape or opening 

 of the jaws, and from the crown of the head : the pupil is circular, and the irides are 

 dark. The ears offer some peculiarities both in their disposition and form. They 

 are externally provided with a large helix, which being margined in the upper part, 

 passes in an angle to the sides, where a well-defined antihelix runs parallel to it, and 

 between both patches of short hairs are scattered without regvilarity. The tragus is 

 of moderate size, and naked, representing a scale, which is inflected in part over the 

 meatus auditorius externus, and is calculated to cover it entirely, whenever the eco- 

 nomy of the animal requires this organ to be protected. The antitragus is naked, 

 and occupies a considerable portion of the auricular cavity. The ears are situated 

 far behind, near the commencement of the neck, which is of moderate length, and 

 differs but little from the head in dimensions. The anterior extremities are slender, 

 and somewhat shorter than the posterior : the latter are considerably more robust, 

 and the thighs are muscular, and calculated for vigorous exertion. The feet are planti- 

 grade, and the soles perfectly naked; the tarsi of the posterior extremities are consider- 

 ably longer than those of the anterior, and the manner in which the feet are placed on 

 the ground, gives a peculiar character to the gait and appearance of our animal. Each 

 foot is provided with five slender, compressed, distinct toes. The three intermediate 

 toes have a similar disposition in both extremities ; the middle toe scarcely exceeds 

 the lateral ones in length. The smaU toe is shorter, and placed more posteriorly. 

 The thumb is perfectly distinct, and moveable in a direction opposite to the others ; 

 in the hind foot it is placed at a greater distance from the toes than in the fore foot. 



In the Plate of Illustrations, Letter G represents these details in the fore, and 

 Letter H in the hind foot. 



The claws are sharp, compressed, and curved, and in comparison with those of 

 Sorex, and several other genera of this order, of considerable strength ; they are 

 individually supported by a small protuberance, similar to that which is found in 

 the Tarsii ; and the construction of the claws in Bangsring is adapted to the same 

 food and habits as those of the other species of Tupaia. The tail is of the same 

 length as the body and linear, compressed with the hairs spreading far on each side ; 

 but it is less full and ornamental than in the Squirrel. 



The Bangsring is closely covered with fur, which is remarkably delicate and 

 silky on aU the under parts : on the back, neck, sides, tail, and on the extremities 

 above, the hairs are longer and straight, arising from a similar silky down, not 

 rough or straggling, but closely applied to the skin ; a few longer more rigid hairs. 



