1851.] ipecies of Birds inhabiting Ceylon. 163 



prove to be that of another. This specimen is remarkable for having the 

 whole upper half of the head and body and of the basal moiety of the 

 tail, covered only with the short and close downy fur common to the 

 genus, with merely a very few scattered piles of the ordinary longer fur 

 intermixed. The under half of the head and body and rest of the tail 

 are clad as usual, precisely as in L. nair and similarly coloured ; but 

 what is remarkable, is the abrupt and well defined straight line of 

 demarcation separating the upper and lower halves of the animal, and 

 passing immediately below the ear-conch. We suspect, however, (in fact 

 feel satisfied,) that the individual was killed while changing its coat ; 

 but its size is still remarkable, being equal to that of the common Bengal 

 Otter (L. chinensis, Gray, vel tarayensis, Hodgson, &c). Never- 

 theless, we consider it identical with L. nair. 



Ursid,e. The Bear of Ceylon is the Ursus (vel Prochilus) 

 labiatus of all India southward of the Himalaya, and which is peculiar 

 to this country. 



Insectivora. Sorex is the only genus as yet ascertained ; but 

 the discovery of Tupaia Ellioti, Waterhouse (Proc. Zool. Soc. t July 

 24th, 1849), in the eastern ghats of peninsular India, renders it likely 

 that this genus also may have its representative in Ceylon. Perhaps, 

 also, the Hedgehog of the Nilgiris (Erinaceus micropus, nobis, 

 J, A. S. XV, 170), or other species of this genus, may inhabit the 

 island ; the more especially as Dr. Kelaart remarks that there are two 

 species of Hedgehog preserved in the Medical Officer' s museum at 

 Colombo, though whence brought is unknown. Sorex murinus, L. 

 (apud Gray), the common Indian Musk Shrew, is mentioned both by 

 Mr. Layard and Dr. Kelaart ; and the latter gentleman has forwarded 

 two mountain species for examination, both of which we consider to be 

 new and undescribed. 



S. montanus, Kelaart, n. s. A typical Sorex, with dentition, &c, 

 as in S. murinus. Total length 6 in., of which the tail measures 2} 

 in. : hind-foot, minus claws, f in. Colour uniform dusky or dusky- 

 slate, with the tips of the fur rufescent. Dr. Kelaart sent two speci- 

 mens from Newera Elia, which, most decidedly, are of the same 

 species ; but one of these had a very powerful odour when fresh, and 

 the other was inodorous. 



S. (?) macropus, nobis, n. s. General aspect of typical Sorex, 



y 2 



