148 



Mammalogy of tJia Himalayas. 



[JuLf 



evening, as sometimes occurs in Britain even in the depth of winter. The 

 fiubject is well worth the attention of Indian Zoologists. 



INSECTIVORA. 



Ascending gradually from ihe frugivorous Cheiroptera of the Plains of 

 India, which visit the hills only during the summer heats, through the 

 insectivorous genera of the same family, which remain throughout the 

 whole year, we next come to the Insectioora, properly so called ; a family 

 which belongs almost exclusively to the temperate regions of the earth ; 

 and of which it is therefore extremely interesting to find the common 

 forms of Europe and Northern Asia occurring in the analogous climates 

 f>f the Himalayas. No fewer than three distinct species of Hedgehogs, 

 for instance, have been described from the Western Hills ' 



Erinaceus spatangiis, a small dark-coloured species^ not more thane 

 twice the size of a large mouse ; 



Erinaceus Grayii, of a grizzled black and yellow, from the spines 

 being annulated with these two colours, rather smaller than the common 

 European species ; and 



Erinaceus coUaris, by some supposed to be identical with E. Grayii^ 

 but easily distinguished by a white collar half surrounding the neck. All 

 these species, however, require a careful revision ; they are founded on 

 single specimens^ those of the two former deposited in the Zoological 

 Society's Collection, that of the last in the British Museum, and of 

 which a figure i& published in the Indian Zoology of Messrs. Hardwicke 

 and Gray. It is possible that more extensive and accurate observation 

 may prove the whole three to be identical : at all events, it is certain 

 that one, either of these, or a different species {Erinaceus indicus of 

 Eoyle's Illustrations, &c. p. 6), inhabits the neighbourhood of Delhi, 

 where it would be interesting to observe the phenomena attending its 

 hibernation, such as the temperature of its body, the nature of its respi- 

 ration, &c. during the period of repose. Mr. Hodgson, in the letter to 

 the Zoological Society, already referred to, denies that there are any 

 Hedgehogs in Nepal, but mentions a small dull slaty-blue variety of the 

 common Indian Shrew or Musk Rat ( Sorex indicus), as common in the 

 lower and central regions, to which he speaks of it as being confined. 

 Other species no doubt exist in the more temperate parts of the moun- 

 tains, though their small size and shy habits screen them from observa- 

 tion. Ihe same gentleman mentions the Mole (Talpa), as abounding in 

 the Kachar, or northern region of Nepal, and Traill* says it is common 



* Asiatic Researches, vol. xvi, 153. 



