1840.] 



Mammalogy of the Himalayas. 



163 



like the horse, and a single horn in the forehead, speculation required but 

 one step further to produce the fabulous Unicorn, such as it appears in the 

 royal arms of England, and such as it has retained its hold on popular 

 credulity for the last two thousand years. The works of Ctesias have 

 perished, but this curious passage is preserved by Phocius ;* Aristotlef 

 adopted his statements regarding the Indian Ass, from Ctesias ; and no 

 other passage of his writings has given rise to a tenth part of the com- 

 mentaries, discussions, and speculations which have originated in this. 

 Religion was, as usual, pressed into the discussion, and as the Septuagint 

 had used the word Monoceros, it was at one time next to rank heresy to 

 doubt the existence of the Unicorn, and might have brought the impru- 

 dent sceptic to the stake. But it is not my intention to renew this fruit- 

 less and childish discussion ; my only wish is to point out the perfect ap- 

 plicability of Ctesias's description to the Indian Rhinoceros, as it is now 

 well known to naturalist'^ ; those who wish to pursue a subject of consi- 

 derable interest in the history of human knowledge, will find many curious 

 details in the writings of the learned Bochart,$ in Scaliger, Hardouin^ 

 Sivry, and others of the older commentators on Aristotle and Pliny. 



Wild Hogs, but of a smaller variety than those of Bengal, are extreme- 

 ly numerous in all the wooded parts of the mountains ; they do not appear 

 to be specifically different from the common wild boar of Europe, Horses 

 do not breed on the southern face of the mountains, but are imported 

 from Thibet. § A valuable and sure-footed variety, called Tangun, is de- 

 scribed by Turner.|I The Ass does not appear to have been introduced 

 into any part of the mountains, at least neither Dr. Hamilton nor Mr. 

 Hodgson makes any allusion to its being found in Nepal, and Mr. Traill 

 expressly states that it does not exist in Kemaon.** The Dziggetai, how- 

 ever (JEquus hemionus), is found on the plains of Thibet and Tartary, 

 and is called Kiang by the natives. 



RUMINANTIA. 



The Ruminantia of the Himalayas, as composed of the larger four-foot- 

 ed game most commonly followed by sportsmen, are probably better 

 known than any other department of Hill Mammalogy. Yet even here 

 much still remains to be done to make us thoroughly acquainted with all 

 the different species or varieties which have been mentioned by Mr. Hodg- 



* Photii Biblioth. cod., 72, p. 91. t Hist., lib. ii., c. 1. 



i Hierozei, lib. iii,, c. 26. ? Muudy's Tour, ii., 75, 



II Fraser'3 Journey, p. 351. U Hamilton's NepauJ, 79. 

 Journey, 21. 



