272 Voyage aux hides Orientates 



it is described and figured under the title of " Tupaia du Pegow." 

 It is confessedly,, however, nearly allied. 



The genus Sorex next claims attention. Five Indian species are 

 noticed, -with some useful observations, and a table of the distinctions 

 which separate some of the allied species. Four African species 

 are also indicated. 



Of the Carnivora, a new Felis is described and figured under the 

 title of F. rubiginosa ; it is most closely allied to the F. torquata of 

 F. Cuvier, is about the size of the domestic cat, and was found in 

 the higher woods in the vicinity of Pondicherry. A new genus 

 is established under the name of Melogale ; but in our correspon- 

 dence with Mr Gray, that gentleman considers it as the same as his 

 genus Helictes, described in the proceedings of the Zoological Socie- 

 ty ; and M. personata, Geoff, as probably identical with Gulo ori- 

 entalis of Horsfield. It was found by M. Belanger in the vicinity 

 of Rangoon. The entire length of the animal is about one foot one 

 inch without the tail, that member, being wanting in the specimen, 

 is supposed to be about eight inches. The dental system is 



r 6 incis. f 6 incis. 



Upper jaw. < 2 can. f 6 false mol. Under jaw. < 2 can. 

 ( 10 mol. ■< 2 can. ( 12 mol. 



C 2 tuberc. 



The Mammalia are concluded by the " Rongeurs." Five squir- 

 rels are described, a hare, and a species of Spermophilus, the 

 only animal noticed from Persia ; a figure is given under the title 

 of S. concolor, Geoff. The entire length of this little animal is about 

 thirteen inches, of which the tail is three. The general colour is a 

 pale-fawn, darker at the upper parts, and the tail, flattened and 

 square at the end, is terminated by a black ring, then one of white, 

 and lastly another of black, more indistinct. It was met with in 

 the vast plains in the Persian province of Azerbaidjan. It bur- 

 rows, and conveys grains to its retreat, therefore it is eagerly sought 

 to be extirpated, 



Oiseaux,par Rene-Primevere Lesson. — Commences by an essay on 

 the geographical distribution of birds, containing general observa- 

 tions on this subject. The second chapter is entitled, " Description 

 de plusieurs especes d'oiseaux nouvelles, ou quelque autres encore 

 incompletement caracterisees dans les auteurs." The whole number 

 of birds here described is thirty-nine ; many of these, however, are 

 neither from India or from the collection of Belanger, and we shall 

 confine our notice to those which have been thought worthy of being 

 figured, or have been brought to Europe by our traveller. 



