1840.] 



Mammalogy of the Himalayas. 



143 



predate the value of their pursuits. Drs. Cantor, M'Clelland, and Fal- 

 coner, are skilful and practised observers ; and Mr. Hodgson appears 

 only to want access to European libraries and museums, an advantage 

 unfortunately beyond the reach of the Indian Naturalist, to illustrate the 

 Mammalogy of Nepal in the most ample and satisfactory manner. 



Before leaving this part of the subject, I shall take the opportunity of 

 offerino a few remarks, wliich may be useful to that numerous class of 

 intelligent and educated gentlemen, who are dispersed over every part of 

 India ; and who, from their taste for field sports and the facilities afford- 

 ed hy their situations, have the m^eans of making the most valuable ob- 

 servations in various departments of Natural History ; but which are too 

 often neglected, not from any deficiency of zeal or inclination on the part 

 of the observers, but from a want of practical experience in observing, 

 from the difficulty of naming and describing the animals which fall 

 under their notice, and from not knowing exactly what points to 

 attend to. An accurate knowledge of specific differences, however, 

 is by no means indispensable for this purpose ; generally speaking, 

 it is sufficient to indicate the affinity of the animal to the most 

 approximate European species, and to ascertain its native name, in orde^ 

 to enable the more practised Zoologist to recognize it with sufficient ac- 

 curacy, especially if the forms of the feet, teeth, ears, &c. be carefully 

 noted : but the main points to be attended to, and those, unfortunately, 

 which the generality of observers most neglect, are the habits and eco- 

 nomy of the animals which fall under their notice ; their manners, whether 

 aquatic, arborial or terrestrial ; whether they inhabit burrows, or reside 

 among thick jungle, or on the naked open plain ; whether they live in socie- 

 ty or sohtary ; the number of young which they produce at a birth ; theii- 

 period of gestation ; the duration of life ; their instincts, and the stra- 

 tagems which they employ to capture their prey or to escape from 

 their enemies ; the nature of their food ; whether they hibernate or 

 migrate from place to place, according to the season ; whether they 

 are turned to any account by the natives, or are capable of yielding any 

 products applicable to the purposes of commerce or domestic economy. 

 These, and other similar inquiries, of the utmost importance to the 

 philosophical Zoologist, are within the ordinary range of daily observa- 

 tion to most gentlemen in India, with respect to many rare and interest- 

 ing animals ; whilst they are, generally speaking, attended with so little 

 trouble, and at the same time productive of so much mental recreation 

 and instruction, that it is only surprising how much they have been 

 heretofore neglected. One principal cause of the apathy which our 

 countrymen in India have shown, if not in making, at least in recording, 



