332 MR. SiA>L£l B. FLOWER ON THE [ Apr. 3, 



In the Siamese Museum is a stuffed specimen from Prachai, 

 Siam. 



Distribution. South-eastern Himalayas, Assam, Burma, South 

 China, Siam. 



41. Herpestes jatanicus (Desin.). The Javan Mongoose. 



Sometimes called " Paang-pawn " by the Siamese. 



Cantor (p. 33) records this species as being numerous in Penang 

 and on the Peninsula. 



On the 20th Jan. 1898 I was given a live mongoose, supposed 

 to have been caught in or near Bangkok, and probably on the west 

 Bide of theMenam. As it was the only mongoose I had seen from 

 the neighbourhood, and also belonged to a species I was not 

 acquainted with, I was particularly interested to add it to my 

 small private menagerie. It soon became a general favourite under 

 the name of " Biki-tiki ; " it was a very intelligent animal, but not 

 clean in its habits, and it generally had a disagreeable smell. Like 

 //. mungo it was inquisitive and courageous, and extraordinarily 

 clever in killing snakes. I have seen it kill a Dhamin (Zamenis 

 mucosus) over seven feet long ; when it had killed a snake, however 

 large, it would drag the body to its cage and then commence 

 eating it, head first, and continued eating till it got so distended 

 that it could not move. The mongoose would then lie on its back, 

 with all four legs stuck straight out, motionless for hours ; as soon 

 as it had room internally it continued its meal. On leaving Siam 

 1 brought this mongoose with me, hoping to present it to the 

 Zoological Gardens in London, but unfortunately it died suddenly 

 in the Bed Sea ; on board the steamer it soon became famous among 

 the crew for its celerity in killing rats. Mr. Oldfield Thomas, to 

 whom I sent the skin for identification, writes : " The mongoose is 

 a form of //. javanicus for which the names of e.cilis Gerv. and 

 rutUus Gray are available if it is distinct, as I believe to be the case. 

 I think you might call it exilis for the present, if you need a name/' 



Distribution . Siam, Malay Peninsula, Java. 



42. Herpestes rrachyurus Gray. The Water Mongoose. 



" Musang Tiiron " of the Malays of the Peninsula (according to 

 Cantor). 



" Musang Babi " (Pig-Civet) of the Malays (according to Eidley). 



" Bambun" of the Malays of Perak (according to L. Wray). 



Cantor (p. 35) records this species from the Malay Peninsula. 



Bidley (Mat. Science, vol. vi. 1895, p. 93) records it from 

 Tringganu. In the Museum at Taiping ai'e four stuffed mongooses 

 (two from Larut, Perak) which Mr. Wray considers to be 

 E. brachyurus. 



A large, dark mongoose in the Museum at Kuala Lumpor 

 probably belongs to this species ; as also, I think, does a large, 

 very dark rufous-brown mongoose I have seen in the swamps near 

 Jenan, Kedah. 



Distribution. Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo. 



