1118 On the Cat-toed Subplantigrades. [Nov. 



I have had many brought to me and have kept several for a year or 

 two in Nepal, feeding them on rice and milk or milk only, or eggs, all 

 of which they like, but wholly refuse rats, fish, insects, snakes, and 

 rarely and reluctantly taking flesh of any kind. I have often put a 

 small live fowl into their cage, but seldom knew them kill and never 

 eat it, though if it approached them too nearly they would rush at it 

 and give it a severe and possibly fatal blow with the fore paws. The 

 amenity of their ordinary disposition is finely pourtrayed in their gentle 

 countenances, and, as they are free from all offensive odour, they would 

 make nice pets for ladies, particularly when young. They drink by 

 lapping with the tongue and moderately. They hiss and spit like cats 

 when angered, and, if extremely so, utter a short deep grunt like that 

 of a young Bear ; but ordinarily they are quite silent. The flesh is 

 never eaten : but from the prepared pelage caps are made, and that is 

 the limit of their ceconomic value. 



Names and species. — To the Tibetans, Nepaulese, and Sikimites the 

 Ailuri are known by the names Wah, Oa, U'ktonka, Saknam, Thong- 

 wah and Tho-kye. Also, Ye and Nigalya ponya. I never heard the 

 name " Panda," nor did I ever see a specimen answering to the descrip- 

 tion, in point of colour, of the Panda.* Wherefore I think it proba- 

 ble that the Nipaulese and Sikim species may be different from the 

 Panda, and that the latter is a species peculiar to Bhutan. Under this 

 impression and in order to complete my account of the former, I shall 

 add the description of its colour and subjoin a fresh trivial name. 

 Panda or Fulvens of Cuvier is as yet the only recorded species. 



General form and aspect. — Ailurus Ochraceus, Nepalese Ailurus. 

 Above deep Ochreous red ; below and the ears, entire limbs, and tip 

 of tail jet black f Head and tail paler than the body and fulvous : this 

 paler hue displayed in frequent rings upon the tail, and in a vague 

 diluting merely of the red tinge upon the head. Face, chin and lining 



* Nat. Library, XIII. 217, and PI. 17 : Zool. Journal, ut supra. 



t Thus the Wah is one of the infra nigrescent group, a group comprising- Ursitax, 

 Urva, JMellivora, Galictis (Bell), Meles, Taxidea, Eira, Arctonyx, Ailurus, and conse- 

 quently this peculiarity would seem to be but a doubtful index of essential conformities, 

 though perhaps we may thus be guided to the clue of that singular interlacing whereby 

 the Ursine-taloned or digging, and the Feline-taloned or scratching Subplantigrades so 

 remarkably cross and recross each other, as though it were possible to reconcile a Pango- 

 line with a Tigrine nail !! 



