162 Report on the Mammalia and more remarkable [No. 2. 



griseus, (Geoffroy), appears identical with the race of Bengal, the 

 nose and paws of the only specimen we have seen being, however, 

 considerably darker. This specimen was sent by Mr. Layard from 

 the Jaffna peninsula ; and he remarks that there is " another variety 

 at Trincomali which accords exactly with the Indian animal." Dr. 

 Kelaart states, in a recent communication, " I have now two other 

 species of Herpestes besides the H. griseus and H. vitticollis, 

 — one like H. auropunctatus, Hodgson, but not it : it is very like 

 H. griseus, except that the grey of the hair is in this fulvous or 

 yellow (if new, H. fulvescens, mihi) : the other is of a dark ruby- 

 red ; tip of tail and feet black ; ferruginous-red face ; and as large as 

 II. vitticollis." The former of these is probably H. auropunc- 

 tatus ; and the latter, we have little doubt, is a very distinct species 

 formerly sent on loan by Mr. Elliot, who procured it in the south 

 of India, but has not yet given it a name, so far as we are aware. 

 His specimens, however, were smaller than adult vitticollis, and 

 more affined to griseus in structure.* 



Felid^e. Of Cats, there are, in Ceylon, F. pardus (vel leopardus) 

 and its black variety, F. viverrinus, and F. chaus. F. Tigris and 

 F. jubatus are unknown : and F. bengalensis (var. wagati, Elliot), 

 and F. rubiginosa, Is. Geoffroy, (both inhabitants of peninsular 

 India,) remain probably to be discovered. 



Mustelid^e. The only Otter we have seen from the island is Lutra 

 nair, F. Cuvier, which is not uncommon ; and it is also the only species 

 which we have seen from the peninsula of India, unless a particularly 

 large skin procured in Travancore and sent on loan by Mr. Elliot, may 



* The following notes were taken of them ; and we may here characterize the 

 species as — 



H. Ellioti, nobis. Entire length 26 in., of which the tail measures half: 

 length of fore-limb, to end of claws, 3f in. ; and of hind-foot with claws 2£ in. 

 General colour as in H. fuscus, Waterhouse, of the Nilgiris, but the pale portion 

 of the annulated hairs whiter, — the four limbs blackish above, — and the tail (which 

 is less bushy than in H. fuscus) tipped with black for the terminal 2\ or 3^ in. In 

 this specimen there was an appearance of a collar, from the greater development 

 of the blackish portion of the hairs and of the whitish portion lower down, in 

 those forming a sort of nuchal ring. Another specimen had the general cast of 

 colour redder, — a maronne-red prevailing, very bright on the four limbs above the 

 black feet, and upon the tail where bordering on its black tip. Hab. S. India. 



