342 On the Mammalia of Nepal. [Aug. 



in Nepal reaches the length of five feet, inclusive of the tail ; and is 

 upon the whole, the largest, though not the longest, species we hav e. 

 It is peculiar to the lower region, where, also, three other species have 

 their hahitat. Two more belong to the central region : and one only to 

 the Kachar. One species is yellowish white all over : the rest are brown, 

 more or less dark ; some having the chin and throat, or whole inferior 

 surface, paled nearly to white. They differ in extent from 5 feet to 

 ]i foot * and not much less considerably in bulk, for some of them 

 exhibit an almost vermiform habit of body ; and others are as stoutly 

 made as the badger. 



Genus Cants. 



The only domesticated species of dog found in any part of 

 Nepal south of the Kachar is the common village dog, or chien 

 de rue of the plains, usually known there by the name of the 

 pariar, a prick-eared cur belonging to every body and nobody. The 

 Parbattiahs however prize the creature, and render it useful in 

 hunting deer and antelopes. It belongs to Cuvier's 2nd section. 



The noble beast usually denominated the Nepal dog is found only 

 in the Kachar, where alone in Nepal he can live. It was introduced 

 into the Kachar from Tibet, in which region it is indigenous, and in 

 various parts of which there are several varieties. That of Lassa 

 is the finest, and is almost always black, with tan legs, and a false or 

 5th digit before and behind. 



Landseer has excellently figured a male and female of this dog, 

 which were taken from the residency and presented to the king of 

 England. The mustang variety is rather smaller, of a bright red 

 colour, with wall eyes ; and he wants the 5th digit behind. Even in 

 the Kachar, this dog degenerates rapidly ; and he can no more bear the 

 heats of the central region of Nepal than his country-fellows of the 

 human race. This would seem to be the dog whose extraordinary 

 powers, ages ago, surprised Alexander and his Grecians. It is found 

 throughout Tibet. This dog is justly placed in Cuvier's 3rd section 

 of the canince ; but he ought surely to be classed under the variety 

 mastiff, not bull dog. His superior size, moderately truncated muzzle, 

 long fur, sunken eye, perfectly pendant ears, and 5th claw on the hind 

 foot (in the Lhassan animal at least) seem decisive of this point. The 

 chief character of the skull consists in the great development of the 

 longitudinal and transverse cristae. There is a species of wild dog* 

 peculiar to each of the three regions of Nepal. That of the lower 

 region is the smallest and darkest : that of the central tract is of a 

 * Canis primeevus, mihi. The Bu&nm of the Nepalese. 



