154 



Mammalogy of the Himalayas. 



[July 



Biraloo in Nepal), of which I have compared numerous African and 

 Indian specimens, extends over every part of tlie Hilis : it is the Felis 

 erythrotus of Mr. Hodgson ;* and there is a specimen of a Himalayan 

 Cat in the Museum of the Zoological Society, so closely resembling the 

 common Wild Cat of Europe, that it differs only in the absence of the 

 dark transverse and longitudinal stripes which mark that species, and 

 which may not improbably be a mere effect of locality. 



Mr. Hodgsonf has described three species of Paradoxuri as inhabi- 

 tants of the Southern, Central, and Northern regions of Nepal respect- 

 ively, two of which at least I have seen from the more Western Hills; 

 P. Bondar (P. hirsutus, Hodg.) is confined to the Tura'i ; P. nepalensis, 

 Hodg. frequents the " middle ranges of the mountains, and P. larvatus, 

 (P. lanigerus ? Hodg.) is only found in the higher regions. Two species 

 of Mungoos ( Herpestcs) likewise inhabit the lower terraces ; H. griseus, 

 called Nyool in Nepal, does not extend beyond the TuraT, but H. Ed- 

 wardsii (H. auropunctata, Hodg.)| ascends the central hills ; whilst 

 Viverra Rasse and indica^ and Viverra Zibetta^ are said to frequent the 

 same localities respectively. 



The true Mustelfe, a genus proper to more northern latitudes, abound 

 in the Himalayas, where there appear to be many different species, some 

 of which, according to Mr. Hodgson, differ but little from those of 

 Northern Europe and Asia. It is to be remarked, however, that they 

 have never been properly compared ; but it is interesting to find this 

 additional instance of the relation between generic forms and climate. In 

 the central region, besides Mustela flavigula^ Mr. Hodgson mentions two 

 closely allied species, one larger and of a fuller habit of body, (query, 

 Paradoxurus larvatus ?) ; the other, which he has described under the 

 name of Mustela liathiah^ is much smaller, and often domesticated by the 

 Nepalese for the purpose of destroying vermin, and sometimes even 

 large animals. § This appears to be the Kukar of Kemaon, where it 

 likewise frequents the villages, burrows in the walls of houses, and is 

 similarly protected by the inhabitants.! The Mustela lanigera of Mr. 

 Hodgson resembles the common Weasel of Europe, but differs in its 

 spirally twisted hair ; and the same gentleman mentioned another 

 species so nearly approaching our common Pole-cat, that he is unable 

 to perceive any specific difference ; however it will probably turn out 

 to he distinct. Both these latter species abound in the northern and 



* Journ. Asiat. Soc, v. 232. t Asiat. Res., xix. I, 72. 



t Zool, Proc, i. 68. \ Journ. As. Soc, iv. 703. 



II Asiat. Res., xvil. 16. 



