796 On a New organ in the Genus Moschus. [No. 1 18. 



the general character, the suborbital pits of the Rusa Deer, when 

 periodically excited, or yet more nearly, the frontal pits of the Muntjac 

 under similar excitement ; and, lastly, these caudal pores have a 

 basal and marginal position, one on each side of the tail. If you 

 press hard on the gland, the secretion is protruded through the pores in 

 a thick state, like vermicelli ; but it ordinarily passes off by the pores 

 in a more liquid state like melted honey, becoming hard and candied as 

 it dries on the edges of the pores. It seems always to be secreted and 

 always to pass slowly off. It has a strong, peculiar, and rather 

 offensive odour, not at all musky ; and by its abundance, and the regular 

 apparatus for its formation and discharge, must be of high, though 

 I know not of what, importance to the animal. I noticed it first a 

 year ago, and have since examined it in two other specimens, one 

 live, and the other just dead. The first subject was submitted to 

 Dr. Christie's inspection, who can confirm all that I have stated. My 

 fresh specimens of these animals are of the more ordinary and uni- 

 formly dark species, called by me, Saturatus. But, so far as a judg- 

 ment may be safely formed from dried skins, the other species, or 

 Chrysogaster and Leucogaster, possess a similar organ, which there- 

 fore would appear to belong to the whole of the Musks Proper. These 

 animals, I may add, are further distinguished by the absence^ not only 

 of suborbital and inguinal, but also of interdigital pores, and by hoofs 

 and false hoofs, as long and pointed almost as spikes ; not to mention 

 that remarkable pouch, in which the musky substance itself is collected, 

 and of which, as more talked of than understood, I subjoin a sketch, 

 in addition to the ones exclusively dedicated to the illustration of the 

 caudal gland and pores. B. H. Hodgson. 



Nepal, July, 1841. 



P.S. — Should this paper fall under the eye of Mr. Ogilvy, I beg to let 

 that gentleman know, that when I published my description of the 

 three species of Moschus to which he adverts, I had been long familiar 

 with the ordinary effects of nonage upon the colour of the common spe- 

 cies of this genus, of whose parturition and gestation I had, years 

 previously, given a particular account in print.* Mr. Ogilvy's scep- 

 ticism, therefore, is not better founded in this instance, than in some 

 others, as he must pardon me for saying. 



* Vide Gleanings in Science. . 



