1849.] The Polecat of Tibet. 447 



elevation of Lassa, but inferentially only ; and it is difficult to advert 

 to what we now know of the surpassing elevation of the Himalayan 

 peaks and ghats opposite to U'tsang, * in connection with what is cre- 

 dibly alleged of the very trivial descent from those ghatsf to the plain 

 of U'tsang, without coming to the conclusion that the mean height of 

 the central province of Tibet must be nearer 15,000 feet. On the other 

 hand, the received ratio of decrement of heat with increasing elevation % 

 would, on such a supposition, reduce the temperature of U'tsang to an 

 arctic rigour inconsistent with much that is alleged of the vegetable 

 productions of that province, and with much that is known of its wild 

 animals, among which antelopes and large felines make a conspicuous 

 figure. 



The whole of my quadrupeds and birds of Tibet were procured in 

 U'tsang. Amongst the latter I have just adverted to four species, than 

 which none are more common in, and characteristic of, Britain at once 

 and Tibet. Nearly the same thing may be said of that singular Tibetan 

 analogue of our familiar English Polecat, which I am now about to 

 describe, merely observing in the meanwhile that a Boreal, though not 

 a strictly British character, is strongly impressed upon the general con- 

 tents of my Tibetan Catalogue and upon the additions since made to it, 

 as recorded in the Journal between 1843 and 1848. 



ae. "1 TCarnivora. ~\ 



elina. > Gray. < Mustelidse. > Waterh. 



•ius. J [Mustela. J 



Putorius Larvatus. T 

 Mu stela Larvata. j 



* Peak of Kangchang 28,176. Ghat of Wallungchung 16,642. Ghat of Kangla- 

 cheraa 15,746, the fomer determined by Col. Waugh, the latter by Dr. Hooker. 

 Peak of Dhavalagiri 27,000, (Herbert.) Of Chumalari, 24,000, (Waugh.) To all 

 which add Deodhunga, a peak which (as well as Dhavalagiri) is believed to rival 

 Kangchang. 



t Journal, No. 197, pp. 495 and 499, and 499, and Turner's Tibet, at entrance 

 into Tibet. 



% Herbert's Report on Darjiling, p. 3. 



