308 



CLASS MAMMALIA. 



dually more separated from each other, and that the front 

 teeth, instead of being placed nearly in a straight line, are 

 disposed in form of a very small arch or curve. There is 

 also a difference in the relative arrangement of the grinders 

 in the jaw-bones, which affects the communication of the 

 nostrils and the posterior parts of the mouth. 



The minute details of Dr. Horsfield are highly interesting 

 to the professed zoologist, but in a general point of view it 

 must be admitted, that the multiplication of divisions tends 

 to hinder the progress of science, and we should, therefore, 

 wish to see the Mydaus Meliceps treated as a species of the 

 Mephitic Weasel, differing in certain specific characters. 



" The Mydaus Meliceps" (we again quote Dr. Horsfield,) 

 " presents a singular fact in its geographical distribution. 

 It is confined exclusively to those mountains which have 

 an elevation of more than 7000 feet above the level of 

 the ocean ; on these it occurs with the same regularity 

 as many plants. The long extended surface of Java, 

 abounding with conical points which exceed this eleva- 

 tion, affords many places favourable for its resort. On 

 ascending these mountains, the traveller scarcely fails to 

 meet with our animal, which, from its peculiarities, is uni- 

 versally known to the inhabitants of these elevated tracts ; 

 while to those of the plains, it is as strange as an animal 

 from a foreign country. A traveller would inquire in vain 

 for the Teledu at Batavia, Semarang, or Surabaya. In my 

 visits to the mountainous districts I uniformly met with it, 

 and as far as the information of the natives can be relied 

 on, it is found on all the mountains. It is, however, more 

 abundant on those which, after reaching a certain elevation, 

 consist of numerous connected horizontal ridges, than on 

 those which terminate in a defined conical peak. Of the 

 former description, are the Mountain Prahu and the 

 Tengger Hills, which are both distinctly indicated in 

 Sir Stamford Raffles's Map of Java; here I observed it in 



