1832.] On the Mammalia of Nepal. 335 



II. — On the Mammalia of Nepal. — By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. C. S. 

 [Read in the Physical Class, 8th February.] 



The geographical distrihution of animals is, I observe, daily at- 

 tracting, more and more, the attention of the ablest Zoologists ; and 

 reasonably, for this view of the subject has many relations of great 

 interest and importance. On this account I am induced to offer to 

 the Society, a summary enumeration of the Mammalia of Nepal. But 

 as the territories comprehended within the dominions of the G orkhali 

 dynasty, and now universally denominated Nepal, possess an extra- 

 ordinary variety of temperature and physiognomy, it will be necessary 

 to preface my account of the animals found within its limits, by a 

 brief description of the climate and physical aspect of the materially 

 different parts of these territories. These parts are three, the juxta- 

 Indian, the Central, and the juxta-Himalayan. The first embraces the 

 Tarai or marshes, the Bhawar or forest, and the little hills with their 

 subject valleys up to the base of the mountains, properly so called. 

 The marshes and forest are on the level of the plains of Hindustan, 

 and possess their climate, with some increase of heat from deficient ven- 

 tilation, especially in the forest; and with an excess of moisture, 

 derived from numberless petty streams oozing out of the hills, and dis- 

 sipating their waters in the soil of the forest and Tarai, for want of 

 force to cut channels for themselves into the rivers. 



About g \y of the Tarai is cultivated : the rest is overrun with topes 

 gone to jungle, brush-wood, and giant-grass. Large tracts of the grass 

 land of the Tarai are annually subdued by fire, and afterwards de- 

 pastured by thousands of cows and buffaloes, but only for about two 

 months ; after which the grass growing out of all compass, restores to 

 these temporary pastures, the features of the surrounding wilderness. 



The forest is entirely void of cultivation, and is a prodigious assem- 

 blage of noble trees woven together by immense creepers ; and incum- 

 bered, above, with air plants; below, with underwood and grass from 

 6 to 10 feet high. 



The third portion of this tract, comprising the small hills with their 

 subjacent valleys, up to the base of the great or true mountains, has 

 the same character with the forest, (save where, here and there, one of 

 the valleys has been cleared and worked,) and the elevation of this 

 tract is too inconsiderable to make any difference in its temperature. 

 The malaria prevails equally and terribly throughout all three parts 

 of this region, from the middle of March to the middle of October; 

 and whoever has traversed it must, I think, feel that the pestilence is 



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