THE EE HU UGINO US HANG SUING.. 
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THE FERRUGINOUS BANGSRING.* 
This species, the Tupai Press of the Malays of Sumatra, and the KehJces of the Sundanese in 
Java, is more widely distributed than the preceding, being found not only in the two islands above 
mentioned, but also in Borneo, Penang, and Singapore. It was first described by Sir Stamford Raffles. 
It is one of the larger species, the head and body measuring about eight inches, and the tail being 
fully of equal length. The colour of its fur is almost entirely a rusty red, becoming darker, however, 
on the tail and the hinder part of the back, where the hairs are more or less grizzled with white. The 
tail is not so bushy as that of the Tana. The aperture under the orbits is of an elongated oval form. 
Sir Stamford Raffles, in his original account of this animal, describes it as being very lively and 
playful in its habits, and as feeding on fruits. He first saw it tame in the house of a gentleman in 
Penang, and states that this individual “ was suffered to go about in perfect liberty, ranged in freedom 
over the whole house, and never failed to present himself on the breakfast and dinner table, where he 
partook of fruit and milk.” Dr. Cantor, in his “ Catalogue of the Mammalia inhabiting the Malayan 
Peninsula and Islands,” gives the following interesting account of this Bangsring : — “ The young of 
this very numerous species in hilly jungle,” he says, “is easily found, and becomes familiar with its 
feeder, though towards strangers it retains its original mistrust, which, in mature age, is scarcely 
reclaimable. In a state of nature it lives singly or in pan's, fiercely attacking intruders of its own 
species. When several are confined together, they fight each other, or jointly attack and destroy the 
weakest. The natural food is mixed insectivorous and frugivorous. In confinement individuals may 
be fed exclusively on either, though preference is evinced for insects; and eggs, fish, and earth-worms 
are equally relished. A short, peculiar, tremulous whistling sound, often heard by calls and answers 
in the Malayan jungle, marks their pleasurable emotions ; as, for instance, on the appearance of food ; 
while the contrary is expressed by shrill protracted cries. Their disposition is very restless, and their 
great agility enables them to perform the most extraordinary bounds in all directions, in which exer- 
cise they spend the day, till night sends them to sleep in their rudely-constructed lairs in the highest 
branches of trees. At times they will sit on their haunches, holding their food between the fore-legs ; 
and after feeding they smooth the head and face with both fore-paws, and lick the lips and palms. 
They are also fond of water, both to drink and to bathe in. The female usually produces one young.” 
Dr. Cantor also states that “ the lateral raised lines of the palms and soles, the posterior part ol the 
first phalanges and the third phalanx, which is widened into a small soft disc ; in fact, all the points 
which Test on the ground are studded with little transversely -curved ridges, or duplications, similar to 
those observed under the toes of some Geckotidse [Wall-Lizards], which fully accounts for the precision 
with which these animals perform the most astounding leaps from below, barely touching with their soles 
the point d'appui above. In a cage,” he adds, “ the Tupaia will continue for hours vaulting from 
below, back downwards, poise itself for an instant, continuing back downwards under the horizontal 
roof, and regain the point of starting, and thus describe a circle, the diameter of which may be three 
or four times the length of the animal, in far shorter time than is required for the description.” 
Allied to the Ferruginous Bangsring, and of nearly the same size, are two species which must be 
referred to on account of their geographical distribution, which carries this type of animals much 
farther to the west than we should expect. These are Elliot’s Bangsring (T. Elliot i), a species with 
unusually short and harsh fur, specimens of which have been obtained from Madras, Bengal, and 
Bombay; and Belanger’s Bangsring (Z T . Belanyeri ), originally procured in Pegu, but which also occurs 
in Burmah and Sikkim. 
Horsfield’s Bangsring ( Tupaia javcinica) is a smaller animal than the preceding, an adult 
specimen measuring only about thirteen inches long, of which about one-half goes to the tail. Tlie 
colour of its fur is greyish-brown, grizzled on the back, and with a whitish line on each shoulder. 
It inhabits Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Arracan. The Little Bangsring (T. minor) is a still smaller 
species, measuring only five inches and one-third in length of body, but closely resembling the pre- 
ceding in its characters. It is described by Dr. Gunther from Bornean specimens. The Murine 
Bangsring (T. murina), which forms the genus Dendrogale of the late Dr. Gray, has also only been 
* Tupaia ferruginea. 
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