Meteorological Observations. 47 



suddenly take place, I consider as plainly proved by the cir- 

 cumstances noted above. While on the hills of Goomsoor in 

 1836, in the Kond country, I had provided instruments, but 

 the climate was not unhealthy, and the changes were not 

 great. 



In the hill tracts of the Salem district the healthiest time 

 is directly after the rain has ceased, and before all the mois- 

 ture which has accumulated has had time to evaporate ; the 

 most unhealthy time is just before the rains commence, when 

 the alternations of dampness and dryness of the atmosphere 

 are considerable. 



On the Civet of the continent of India, Viverra Orientalis. 

 Hodie melanurus. By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. Resident 

 at the Court of Catamandu. 



In the first No. of the " Calcutta Journal of Natural 

 History" there is a notice of a Civet from the Cossia Hills, 

 which Mr. McClelland supposes to be distinct from Civetta 

 and Zibetha of authors. The subject is involved in double 

 perplexity from the variations to which these animals are 

 liable, and from the inadequacy of all recorded descriptions 

 of the Civet and Zibet. The greater and the lesser species 

 of these animals are common in the Tarai and Hills of 

 Nepal, and they are recorded by me in my Catalogue of 

 Mammals as Viverra orientalis, new forsan Civetta vel 

 Zibetha, and as Viverricula (nobis) Indica and V. Rasse. 



The first of these three is probably identical with Mr. 

 McClelland's animal, but from my experience during the 

 past 12 years, I own myself as much inclined to doubt the 

 specific distinctness of the Viverra et Zibetha of authors as 

 to allege positively the independence of this third species 

 on both the former. The specific character which I gave 

 to my V. orientalis in May 1838, when I forwarded drawings 



