in captivity in lower bengal. 73 



Length of life in captivity, 

 A specimen, obtained in 1883, is still alive. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — In providing accommodation for a binturong, three 

 points should be borne in mind ; it is a nocturnal animal ; arboreal in 

 habits ; and those obtained from Sumatra and Java do not stand much 

 cold. Binturongs kept in one of the cages of the Gubbay House have 

 been found to thrive. Here they have a dead trunk of a tree which 

 they can climb at pleasure, a top shelf for retirement and sleep during 

 the day ; and the house, while well protected from cold, is at the same 

 time airy during the summer. As, however, this house is principally 

 intended for delicate monkeys and lemurs, room is not always available 

 for a binturong, and they are, therefore, often accommodated in one of 

 the cages of the Kuch Behar House (see page 56). To give them some 

 seclusion during the day when kept here, it has been found advisable to 

 let down half of the plank screen outside the cage ; a sleeping-box 

 of course, is indispensable. 



Food. — Boiled meat (beef or mutton), eggs, small birds, fruits 

 bread, boiled rice, biscuits, milk, &c, constitute its principal diet in 

 captivity. Eight to twelve plantains or some dates or other fruits and 

 a bit of bread or a little boiled rice, in the morning, between 8 and 

 9 a.m., and from a half to one pound of boiled meat in the evening 

 will be enough for an adult animal. Eggs, small birds, insects, should 

 be occasionally given as a change of diet. Some of the binturongs 

 were observed to have a strong partiality for a fruit diet consisting of 

 orangeSj plantains, dates, &c, and lived for months without even touch- 

 ing meat. None of the binturongs exhibited here appeared to like 

 fish, although some of them were fond of land and fresh-water snails. 



Transport is easily managed : a box like that recommended for the 

 transport of a fishing-cat, with a shelf on one side, is all that is required. 



Treatment in sickness. 



Convulsions and fits are the principal diseases from which bintu- 

 rongs have been noticed to suffer in captivity. As the animals in 

 almost every case, died suddenly, while apparently in the enjoyment of 

 health, no treatment was ever attempted. The binturong appears to 

 be one of the animals which have a special tendency to become fat 

 probably owing to want of sufficient exercise. 



Observations on the habits of a Binturong. 



A binturong is nocturnal in its habits, sleeping during the greater 

 part of the day and becoming lively at night. Its movements are slow 

 and somewhat cautious. None of the animals exhibited appeared to be 

 savage, though some were shy and suspicious : on the other hand, 

 several of them have been observed to get remarkably tame. They 

 are very cleanly in^ habits, spending much of their time after their 

 meals in cleaning their faces and lips. 



