Mammalogy of tJie Himalayas. 



[July 



son* and other -writers ; the nomenclature, in particular, is extremely 

 confused, and there is strong reason to believe that the number of species, 

 particularly among the deer tribe, has been greatly increased by the 

 variety of names given to the same animal in the ever varying dialects of 

 the hill tribes. I have, however, only mentioned those of which the 

 existence is known with some degree of certainty. 



The Musk {Moschus rnoschiferus)^ called Kastooree, is not uncommon 

 in the higher hills. It is said to derive its peculiar odoriferous secretion 

 from feeding on the Kastooree plant, a kind of ground nut, which is 

 strongly impregnated with the same pungent scent, and which the animal 

 digs up with its long tusk. Mr. Hodgson, in a recent number of the 

 Journal of the Asiatic Society,"!" expresses his belief in the existence of 

 three different species of this animal among the Himalayas, and even 

 assigns them distinct names ; but the characters are founded entirely on 

 the difference of colour, which is too variable to be depended on for the 

 purpose of specitic distinction ; and, in fact, Lie"at. Smith assures me 

 that the colours vary with the age of the animal ; a remark on which I 

 am disposed to place the greater reliance from its agreeing with my own 

 observations, made on many individuals preserved in the museums of 

 this country and the Continent. Whether the " Second species of Musk," 

 mentioned by Dr. Falconer as having been discovered during his recent 

 journey into Cashmere and Little Thibet, be founded on more important 

 characters, we have no means of ascertaining, that Naturalist not having 

 yet published his observations. 



Of the genus Cervus, the Chittra or Spotted Axis (C. axis), and the 

 Laguna or Para and Sugoriah, called also JJwil Laghuna and Khar La- 

 guna, or spotted and brown varieties of the Hog- deer (C porcinus) are 

 common in the lower hills and forests, but do not ascend the mountains. 

 The specitie distinction or identity of the two latter animals has long 

 been a subject of dispute among naturalists ; Lieut. Smith believes that 

 the spotted variety is only the young ; but I have myself seen animals 

 at least three or four years old, with a rov/ of spots on each side of the 

 spine, though, at the same time, I do not believe them to be distinct from 

 the plain coloured or common brown variety, with which they perfectly 

 agreed in every other respect. The subject is worth the attention of 

 those who have an opportunity of settling the question. Three other 

 species of the Axine group of deer are mentioned by Mr. Hodgson, under 

 the collective name of Jara'i, but individually distinguished by the Nepa- 

 lese as the Phusro, Rato, and K^lo, or hoary, red, and black Jara'is res- 



• Asvxt Res., xvi., 351. 



t New Series, I., 203. 



