OCEANICA, OH OCEANIA 



977 



Some of the bats exhibit a strange appearance, and are remarkable for their size ; the Tippet 



Bat (^Cheiromeles torquatus), and the Long- 

 snouted Bat [Pteropus rostratus) of Java, 

 and the Vampire or Roussette of Tinur (P. 

 griseus) are the principal. 



One species of bear ( Ursus JMalaianus) 

 is known to inhabit Borneo, and it is not 

 improbable, that others may be found in 

 some of the large islands. 



It is singular, that the great continent of 

 New Plolland contains but one animal of 

 the carnivorous order, which is the Dingo^ 

 or New Holland dog [Canis Australasia), 

 which is of medium size, and although 

 found in a semi-domesticated state, is fierce 

 and voracious ; it is said not to bark. The 

 dog of Sumatra (C. Sumatrensis) is wild 

 and untanieable ; it hunts in large packs, in 

 the forests of the interior. There appear to be several species of tiger, and perhaps a lion, in 

 the great islands of Malaysia, but nothing is knov-^n of them except from the imperfect accounts 

 of the natives. The Javanese Civet ( Viverra rasse) is distinguished for its slender form, and 

 it yields a perfume of which the natives are fond. 



Borncan Bear. 



Javanese Civet. 



Kangaroos. 



Austraha or Melanesia is characterized by the great number of its marsupial animals, there 

 being no less than 43 species of the order, which is rare in other parts of the world. The 

 most remarkable are the Kangaroos (JVIacropus) , of which there are several species ; the largest 

 are about the size of a sheep, and are the largest land animal of New Holland. They are fur- 

 nished with a pouch, like the opossums, into which the young retire, and move by enormous 

 leaps, which they are enabled to do by the great length of their hind legs. They are timid and 

 gentle, and feed in large herds on the open downs, living wliolly upon vegetables. Their flesh is 

 esteemed a great delicacy. Nearly allied to these are the Pottoros, or Kangaroo-rats [Hypsi- 

 prymnus), which aie about the size of a rabbit; the Ring-tailed Opossums, or Phalangers 

 (Pkalangista) , which have prehensile tails ; the Flying Opossums (Petaurus) , sometimes called 

 by the inhabitants flying squirrels ; the Wombat (Phascolomys) , which burrows in the ground ; 

 the Dasgures {Dasgurus), and the Dog-faced Opossum (Thylacynus) of Van Diemen's 

 Land. 



The Babyroussa Hog {Sus babyrusa) is found in several of the Malaysian islands, and is 

 remarkable for its enormous and singularly curled tusks ; it seems to be intermediate between 

 a hog and a deer, and its Malay name, babyroussa, signifies hog-deer. There are 2 species 

 of Rhinoceros known to inhabit Sumatra, in which there are also found a pecuhar species 

 of Tapir ( Tapirtis . Ifn/ai/fmifs) , and great numbers of elephants. The Rusa Deer (Cervus 



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