154 BOTANIC GARDENS MENAGERIE. 



H. aureopunc tatus . 



The small Indian mungoose, is also often imported into 

 Singapore, and two were kept for a long time. They were very 

 tameand playful. 



H. brachyurus. 



The water mungoose. Two of these have been kept for 

 many years. One was presented by Dr. Johnstone who got it 

 in Tringanu. The habits of this animal are very different 

 from those of the two previous ones. It is never really tame 

 nor is it at all playful. When annoyed it erects the bristles on 

 its back whence probably the Malays call it Musang Babi. 

 Its food is fish, but it is also partial to snakes. 



Cyon rutilans. 



The Malay wild dog. Two pairs of pups were kept for 

 some time in the gardens, but one of the pair died soon after 

 arrival, having been injured in catching, and the others were at 

 different times poisoned out of spite by natives. . This dog is 

 a very handsome red animal with a beautifully plumed tail 

 which when pleased it arches gracefully, but never wags it. It 

 does not bark but makes a yapping noise. One used to spend 

 much of its time rushing up the wooden partition of its cage 

 for about 12 feet and dropping again to the ground. By 

 bringing a terrier slut to the outside of its cage and stroking 

 her the wild dog who evidently much admired her became 

 tame enough to let me stroke it, and it was getting quite tame 

 and very handsome when the native miscreant poisoned it. 

 It is said that there are two kinds of wild dog in the Peninsula, 

 one large and the other small, and this seems possible as one 

 pair of pups were nearly as big as the last mnetioned dog, 

 though evidently very much younger. 



C. aureus. 



The Indian Jackal. A pair of these was presented to the 

 Gardens in 1895, and after a short time bred producing five 

 pups. Of these one when very small crept through a small 

 drain-hole into the tiger's cage next to its own cage and was 



Jour. Straits Branch 



