1832.] Mammalia observed in the Dakhan. 165 



Fel. Chans, Guld. Mota Rahn Manjur, or Larger Wild Cat of the Mahrattas. — 

 This species has a very extended geographical range, being found in Egypt, on the 

 Caspian, in Persia, at Bangalore, and in the Dakhan. It frequents bushy moist 

 situations. The only addition I can give to the published descriptions of it, is 

 that the irides are of a bright reddish light yellow. 



Fel. torquatus, F. Cuv. Lhan Rahn Manjur, or Lesser Wild Cat of the Mahrat- 

 tas.— This animal is a pest, from the damage it does in poultry-yards in the Dakhan. 

 It inhabits the grass roofs of houses, and thick hedges, and obscure places of our 

 cantonments, shunning the face of man and the light, but is constantly on the alert 

 at iii»ht. My specimens differ only from the Fel. torquatus figured in the third vo- 

 lume°of the Histoire Naturelle des Mammiferes, in the ears externally being tipped 

 dark-brown, and in having two narrow stripes behind the eyes instead of one. The 

 sexes resemble each other in colour, marks, and size. 



Mus giganteus, Hardw. Ghus of the Mahrattas. — This is the well-known Ban- 

 dikut Rut. In fully grown individuals, none of the teeth are tuberculous. Two 

 specimens in my possession exceed in size any yet described, measuring respec- 

 tively I6J5 inches, and 14 | 5 inches on the body. Tail 11^ and 11 T * 5 inches. 

 Unlike the common Rat, these animals seem to be entirely granivorous. They 

 burrow under walls, and make such considerable excavations as to injure the founda- 

 tions of buildings. 



Mus decumanus, Pall. Chua of the Mahrattas. — This species, the well known 

 Norway or Brown Rat, abounds in Dukhun. It has been seen to migrate in thou- 

 sands, destroying the crops in its march. 



Mus Musculus, L. — This mouse is comparatively rare in the Dakhan. 



jl/ Mi . . Bright light chesnut above, reddish white below. Tail much 



longer than the body : size of the common mouse. Found only in fields and gar- 

 dens. I believe this species to be new, but until I can recover the specimens which 

 I brought to England, I refrain from naming it. 

 Sciurus ELPHiNSTOMi.Sykes. — Shekru of the Mahrattas. 

 Sc. supra nitide castaneus, infra rufescenti-albidus; caudas dimidio apicali pallidi 



ru/escente» 

 This very beautiful animal is found only in the lofty and dense woods of the 

 Western Ghats, and has rarely been seen by Europeans in the Dakhan. It is of the 

 size of the Sc. maximus, and the general arrangement of its colours is the same ; 

 and as the Sc, maximus passes through some gradations of colour, the Sc. Elphin- 

 stonii might be supposed by casual observers to be a variety of that species. I am en- 

 abled to state, however, from personal observation, that the latter does not change 

 its colour at any period of its life ; specimens being in my possession of the most 

 tender and mature ages. 



Ears and whole upper surface of the body, half way down the tail, outside of the 

 hind legs and half way down the fore legs outside, of a uniform, rich reddish ches- 

 nut. The whole under surface of the body, from the chin to the vent, inside of 

 limbs, and lower part of fore legs, crown of the head, cheeks and lower half of tail, 

 of a fine reddish white, the two colours being separated by a defined line and not 

 merging into each other. Feet of a light red. Forehead and down to the nose red- 

 dish brown, with white hairs intermixed. Irides nut-brown. Ears tufted. Length 

 of a male in my possession from the tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail 20 

 inches. Length of tail 15|r inches. 



The cry of this animal is Chuk, chuk, chuk ,- at first uttered slowly and then ra- 

 pidly, and it is so loud as to have a startling effect, 



I have dedicated this Squirrel to a very distinguished person and a zealous pro- 

 moter of scientific research, the Hon. MountstuartElphinstone. 



Sc. Palmarum, Briss. Kharri of the Mahrattas. — This well-known Squirrel is so 

 abundant in gardens in the Dakhan that I have repeatedly caught two or three at 

 once by simply planting out under a tree, a common wire rat-trap, baited with a 

 little flour. Nothing can be more light and elegant than the movements of these 

 little creatures. I have witnessed some singular instances of affection for their 

 young in this species, which my limits do not permit me to detail. 

 Hystrix leucurus, Sykes. — Sayaloi the Mahrattas. 

 Hust. cauda alba. 



This animal appears to be distinct from the European species, which it closely 

 resembles in form and covering. It is nearly a third larger. All the spines and 

 tubes of the tail are entirely white, which is not the case in the Hyst, cristata. The 



