Vol. VI, No. 10.] Materia Medica Animalium Indica. 521 



[N.S.] 



The fat has been examined by the author (Journ. Asiatic 

 Society Bengal, Vol. IV, No. 2, 1908, 33). It has a yellowish 

 white colour, a rancid odour, and a soft granular and pasty 

 consistence at 21°. The following constants were obtained 

 from two samples : Specific gravity at 50°0"9013, -9007 ; melt- 

 ing point 37°5, 34*5°; acid value 13-8, 33*19; saponification 

 value 203-8, 204-25 ; iodine value 52-77, 62-8 ; Reichert-Meissl 

 value -93, -86; fatty acids percent. 94'78, 93*81 ; melting point 

 42°, 40° ; neutralization value 205-6, 207'3 ; iodine value 57*2, 

 62*9. The fat consists chiefly of olein and palmitin with a 

 small quantity of stearin. 



Viverra zibetha, Linn. . • . . . . Civet Cat. 



* 



Vern. : — The animal : Khattas, Hind. ; Pullreghti puney, 

 Tarn. ; The pouch Ladana, Beng. and Hind. ; Pullughu shuttam, 

 Tarn. ; Zabad, Arab. ; Gandhamayara, Sans. 



The Civet cat is found throughout India from Assam to 

 Malabar, and in Burma, Nepal and Arabia. The glandular 

 receptacle contains an unctuous, odorous secretion used as a 

 substitute for musk and castoreum. In Travancore there was 

 once an establishment maintained at the expense of Govern- 

 ment in which these animals were kept and reared for the sake 

 of their secretion. 



Civet is chiefly employed in perfumery and in scenting 

 medicinal oils; it is also considered to possess anodyne and 

 anti-spasmodic properties. 



RODENTIA. 



Castor fiber, Linn. 



Beaver. 



Vern. : — J anda-bidastar , Hind. ; Ghenda. Sans. Castoreum. 



Castoreum is a fatty substance secreted by peculiar glands 

 of this animal, and used as a therapeutic agent. It is obtained 

 from North America and Siberia. It is reported to be sold in 

 the Indian bazars under the above vernacular names, but I 

 have never met with the article. Col. Phillott in " Baz-nama- 

 yi Nasiri " speaks of it under the Persian or Arabic name of 

 bachagan, or, more correctly, ash-i-bachagan , so called from the 

 fact that it is a medicine given to infants. 



CHEIROPTERA. 



HlPPOSIDERUS, Sp. fc . 



Vern. : 

 or guano. 



• • 



. . • ♦ 



Bat. 



// , Baluch. The dung 



Masson in his "Journey to Kalat" (1843) speaks 



dung 



