NO. 5. — 1849.] NATURAL HISTORY. 



191 



Order Carnivora. 

 Family Canid^:. 

 Genus Canis, L. 

 15.— C. Aureus (?). 

 $YX.—Sacalius Indicus ; JSariyd, Sin.; Nari, Mai. 

 I have never been able to obtain a specimen of our 

 common jackal for identification ; nevertheless, I believe 

 the species to be identical with the Indian races. 



Family Felim;. 

 Genus Felis. 

 16.— F. Pardus, var. Leopardus. 

 Syn.— Puli ( necjuvatus), Mai.; Tigir, Port. ; Kotiyd, Sin, 

 The leopard (or tiger of Europeans here) is too well 

 kn own to need any notice, save that the common appella- 

 tion of tiger wrongly bestowed on it leads people in 

 England to suppose that F. tigris exists here, which it 

 really does not. 



A black variety of F. pardus is not unfrequently met 

 with ; it is nearly accidental. 



17.— Felis viverrinus. 

 Common about Jaffna. I am in possession of a beautiful 

 half-breed between this species and the domestic variety. 



Family Viverrin^. 

 Genus Paradoxurus. 

 18.— P. Zeylonicus, Schreber. 

 Peculiar to the Island, and seems to be plentiful near 

 Puttalam. I have not seen it from other parts. 



Genus Viverra. 

 19. — V. Zibetha, Lin. 

 Syn.- - V. Midulata, Gray; JNdvi 9 Mai. 

 Abundant about Jaffna. The natives keep them in 

 confinement for the sake of the musk, which they secrete 



