1840.] 



Mammalogy of the Himalayas. 



155 



central regions. No fewer than seven species of Otters are said by Mr. 

 Hodgson to inhabit the Himalayas ; but they require to be carefully 

 studied and compared, before we can venture to pronounce definitely 

 upon their specific distinction. It is certain, indeed, that several species 

 do actually exist in these Hills ; Mr. Hodgson has himself given brief 

 characters of four which he regards as new,* besides the two common 

 species of the plains, {Lutrae Nair and Lepionyx), and seems to intimate 

 that the seventh may be no more than a variety of the common Euro- 

 pean Otter.t The following is the substance of Mr. Hodgson's obser- 

 vations in the letter already referred to, and I give them at length in 

 the hope that they may induce other observers to co-operate with that 

 gentleman in filling up the sketch of which he has given an outline. 

 " Of Lutrae we have seven species, five differing from the two usually 

 found in the plains, as well as from all described species, except the 

 common Otter (Z. vulgaris)^ of which the largest Nepal species seems 

 to be only a variety. It is five feet long, including the tail, and is the 

 largest, though not the longest of our species. It is peculiar to the 

 lower region, where also three other species inhabit : two more belong 

 to the central, and one to the Kachar. One species is yellowish brown 

 all over ; the others brown, more or less dark, some having the chin and 

 throat much paler than the rest of the body, and approaching nearly to 

 white or yellow. They differ in length from five feet to one and a half 

 feet ; some being quite vermiform, and others as bulky as the Badger. 

 Detailed descriptions, skulls, and skins of these animals, are much 

 wanted." 



Of the genus Cams, different species are found everywhere. The com- 

 mon Pariah Dog is universally dispersed through the mountains, but the 

 Thibet Mastiff is confined to the Kachar, into which it is imported from 

 its native country. There are many distinct varieties of this noble ani- 

 mal. That called Sassa, a large black kind, with dew claws on the hind 

 feet, is esteemed the finest : another called Mustang is of a bright red 

 colour. The common Wild Dog, called simply Junglee Coota in the 

 Plains and Biiansu in Nepal (Cams Duckunensis of Sykes and Cprimavas 

 of Hodgson) is only found in the lower regions, but is replaced farther up 

 by two other wild species, likewise called Junglee Coota by English 

 sportsmen. Lieut. Smith informs me that one of these is larger and the 

 other smaller than the Junglee Coota of the Plains, from which they both 

 differ in having shorter tails and a lighter or more ashy colour : both 

 species ascend the Hills even to the snow line ; they hunt in packs, and 



* Journ, As. Soc, viii. 319. + Letter to Zool. Soc, 



