Himalayan Musk 311 



of a large amount of movement and lateral expansion. "The special office 

 performed by the lateral phalanges," writes Sir Victor Brooke, " is the 

 prevention of the animal slipping when rushing at speed down slopes or 

 sinking in swampy ground ; and this function is effected without danger of 

 the displacement of these delicate structures by means of strong ligamentous 

 bands developed in the sheath surrounding them, which bind them firmly 

 in their normal position." 



Distribution. — Eastern part of the Eastern Holarctic, and some adjacent 

 districts of the Oriental region. 



1. The Himalayan Musk — Moschus moschiferus 



Moschus moschiferus, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. i. p. 91 (1766) ; H. 

 Smith, in Griffith's Animal Kingdom, vol. v. p. 301 (1827) ; Gray, Cat. 

 Ungu/ata Brit. Mus. p. 244 (1852), Cat. Ruminants Brit. Mus. p. 96 (1872) ; 

 Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 5, vol. ii. p. 119 (1864), Rech. Ma mm. 

 p. 176 (1868-74) ; Jerdon, Mamm. India, p. 266 (1867) ; Kinloch, Large 

 Game Shooting, part i. p. 41 (1869) ; Flower, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1875, p. 159 ; 

 Sterndale, Mamm. India, p. 494 (1884) ; W. L. Sclater, Cat. Mamm. Ind. 

 Mus. part ii. p. 172 ( 1 89 1 ) ; Blanford, Fauna Brit. Ind. — Mamm. p. 552 

 ( 1 8 9 1 ) ; Biichner, Melanges biol. Ac. St. Petersbourg, vol. xiii. p. 163 

 (1890-91). 



Moschus sibiricus, Pallas, Spied. Zool. vol. xiii. p. 29 (1799) ; Gray, Cat. 

 Ungulata Brit. Mus. p. 243 (1852). 



Moschus a/taicus, Eschscholtz, Isis, 1830, p. 606. 



Moschus moschiferus altaicus, Brandt, Median. Zool. vol. ii. p. 347 (1833). 



Moschus chrysogaster, Hodgson, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. viii. p. 203 

 (1839) ; Gray, Cat. Ungulata Brit. Mus. p. 245 (1852), Cat. Ruminants 

 Brit. Mus. p. 97 (1872). 



Moschus leucogaster, Hodgson, "Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. viii. p. 203 

 (1839) ; Gray, Cat. Ungulata Brit. Mus. p. 245 (1852), Cat. Ruminants 

 Brit. Mus. p. 96 (1872). 



Moschus saturatus, Hodgson, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. viii. p. 203 



(1839). 



Moschus moschiferus fasciatus, Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 5, vol. 

 ii. p. 119 (1864) ; Gray, Cat. Ruminants Brit. Mus. p. 96 (1872). 



