212 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



valuable work of Dr. Horsfield, on the animals of Java, 

 The name Twpaia is generic with the inhabitants of Su- 

 matra, and is common to the Squirrels, and to these insec- 

 tivora, inasmuch, as it is more peculiarly descriptive of the 

 external form and general physiognomy of the animals. 

 The admitted rules of natural history will scarcely permit 

 us to retain it, as its local acceptation seems too indefinite. 



One of those species, the Tupaia Javanica, of Horsfield, 

 is called the Bangsring, and Sinsring by the Javanese. This 

 animal lives in the forests, on the most elevated trees, 

 where it subsists on insects, small birds, fyc. Little has 

 been collected concerning its habits, but we may presume 

 that they bear much analogy to those of the last sub- 

 divisions of the quadrumana ? more perhaps than to 

 those of the insectivora, properly so called, which gene- 

 rally live and seek their sustenance in a state of subter- 

 ranean obscurity, or at least sheltered in retreats inac- 

 cessible to the light ; while the animals in question seem 

 to pursue insects, small birds, 8fc, about the tops of trees. 

 It has all the teeth, says M. F. Cuvier, of the insectivora: 

 its incisors exhibit the same anomaly observable in all the 

 genera of this family ; nor is there less irregularity in 

 its canines, than in those of the Hedgehogs, Shrews, Chry- 

 sochlores, and Desmans. As for the molars, we find there 

 the most exact resemblance with the above-mentioned 

 genera. We have added Dr. Horsfield's figure of these 

 teeth to those of the other sub-divisions of insectivora. 



The head of the Tupaia Javanica is oblong, rather de- 

 pressed, and very gradually attenuated to a conical muzzle, 

 which is somewhat, compressed laterally. The nose is ob- 

 tuse and naked. The nostrils slightly curved, and pierced 

 laterally. The upper jaw a little longer than the under. 

 Slight mustachios. The eyes are very large and promi- 

 nent, equidistant from the mouth and crown of the head ; 

 the pupils are circular: The ears, says Dr. Horsfield, offer 

 om3 peculiarities both in their disposition and form. They 



