1832.] On the Mammalia of Nepal 339 



regions above denned ; and of the mammalia of the lower or juxta- 

 Indian region, I have probably les9 knowledge than was possessed by 

 Abel, Duvaucel, and others, now alas ! no more ; but whose investiga- 

 tions have, no doubt, survived them. Without professing therefore 

 to give a full or exact enumeration of the mammalia of Nepal, I pro- 

 ceed to notice the result of limited observation. Should I remain 

 here, and have leisure, I can and will follow up the subject. 



Class MAMMALIA. 

 Sub-class Unguiculata. Family Bimana. Genus Homo. 

 The great indigenal mass of the population of Nepal belongs to the 

 Kalmak division of the vast mongolian variety of the human race. But 

 the dominant tribe of Khas are mongrels ; derived, on the male side, 

 from the Brahmans and Kshetriyas of India, on the female, from the 

 Aborigines, and chiefly from the Magar and Jariah clans of these. 



These observations apply to the northern and central divisions of 

 the country. The southern or juxta-Indian division is peopled, so 

 far as it is peopled at all, either by the Hindus and Musulmans of 

 the plains, or, by a peculiar race demominated Tharu, of probably 

 similar origin with the Bhfls, Coles, and other rude mountaineers of 

 the great Indian continent. The Tharu, however, though their lan- 

 guage and physiognomy prove them to be a distinct race from the 

 Hindus, have probably been much mixed with the latter ; and, at 

 all events, are fairer, less ugly, and less barbarous, than the Indian 

 mountaineers in question. 



Family Quadrumana. 



There are no monkeys in the northern and central* regions ; and 

 those of the southern region are identical, so far as I know, with the 

 ordinary species of the plains, viz. the langur and the bandar. There 

 are no others that I am aware of. 



I am not acquainted with any animal of the genus Lemur in Nepal ; 

 but the, for the most part, nocturnal habits of these animals tend to 

 withdraw them from observation. It is probable, that the slow-paced 

 Loris, at least, inhabits the lower hills ; and possible, that species of 

 other sub-genera are tenants of that immense solitude. 



* Religion has introduced the Bandar into the central region, where it seems 

 to flourish, half domesticated, in the neighbourhood of temples, in the populous val- 

 ley of Nepal proper. My shooters were once alarmed in the Kach&r by the appa- 

 rition of a " wild man," possibly an ourang, but I doubt their accuracy. They 

 mistook the creature for a cacodemon or rakshas, and fled from it instead of 

 shooting it. It moved, they said, erectly : was covered with long dark hair, and 

 had no tail. 



