70 



S/ietch of Ihe Malayan Pejiinsula, 



Insectivora.— Of the tribe Insecticora, is the Gymmira Rafflesii, 

 an animal of w hich I have not seen a specimen, called by the Malays, 

 Tikus-am-bavg-bidaiu Sir S. Raffles discovered it in Sumatra ; the 

 native name was given to an animal brought to Colonel Farquhar, 

 from the interior of Malacca, previous to its discovery by Sir S. R. in 

 Sumatra, which Sir Stamford believed identical with it. There are 

 several varieties of the genera Tupaia, and Scmriis or squirrel 

 family. 



Edentata.-— Of the tribe Edentata, are the hairy and scaly Pango- 

 lin.s, the Penggoiing-rambut and Penggoli?ig-.nsik, or the short tailed 

 manis (^1/. Pentadactyla of Linnceus), called Penggolings from the 

 faculty they possess of rolling themselves up. 



Pachydermata. — Of the thick skinned family, Pachydermata, is the 

 elephant, Elephas maximus, in great abundance ; the Badak^ or 

 Sumatra rhinoceros; the Malayan tapir, the Mariba of F. Cuvier, 

 rare; and the wild hog. Specimens of the Malayan tapir have been 

 sent to Europe by Duvancel and Sir S. Raffles ; a female upwards of 

 four feet in height, has lately been presented by Lieutenant Mackenzie 

 to the Asiatic Society of Bengal. The remark of our Secretary Mr. 

 Cole, on a drawing of the animal just mentioned (Journal No. 16, p. 

 14o), that " the figure in the English edition of Cuvier, represents 

 a comparatively light and agile animal, quite devoid of the heavy 

 look, cumbrous figure, and rugous skin, delineated in the drawing", 

 perfectly coincides with my observations on living specimens of the 

 Malayan tapir. Drawings of the animal should always specify the 

 age or approximative age; as both the colour and texture of its coat 

 1 have seen to vary as the animal grows up. The Seladang is sup- 

 posed by some zoologists to be identical with the tapir. The Malays 

 however make a difference, distinguishing the true tapir by the name 

 of Tennok. Tliis is a point desirable to ascertain. The Seladang may 

 probably be a variety. 



RuMJNAXTiA. — In the genus Moschus we have those elegant deer in 

 miniature, the Plandok {moschus pygmeus) the Chevrotin of Buffon j 

 the Napn, or Moschus Javanicus, of Pallas; and the Kanchil, 

 or Moschus Kanchil of Raffles. The Malays dry and preserve 

 the fiesh of these animals, which tastes a little like that of the hare. They 

 pine away in confinement. 1 attempted in vain to send a living speci- 

 men of each to England. The Plandok is a favourite animal amon^j 



