Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon Part 94

HABITAT.--Burmah and the Malayan peninsula; also Tipperah.

DESCRIPTION.--To be distinguished from the two preceding species by the greater number of longitudinal rows of scales, _M. pentadactyla_ having from eleven to thirteen, _M. aurita_ from fifteen to eighteen, and _M. Javanica_ nineteen. Taking the number of scales in the longitudinal mesial line from the nose to the tip of the tail in _M.

pentadactyla_, it is forty-two; in _aurita_ forty-eight to fifty-six; in _Javanica_ as high as sixty-four; on the tail the scales are: _M. pentadactyla_, fourteen; _M. aurita_ sixteen to twenty; _M. Javanica_ thirty.

I am indebted to Dr. Anderson's 'Zoological and Anatomical Researches' for the following summary of characteristics:--

"_M. pentadactyla_ by its less heavy body; by its tail, which is broad at the base, tapering gradually to a point, and equalling the length of the head and trunk; by its large light olive-brown scales, of which there are only from eleven to thirteen longitudinal rows on the trunk, and a mesial line of fourteen on the tail; and by its powerful fore-claws, the centre one of which is somewhat more than twice as long as the corresponding claw of the hinder extremity. _M. aurita_ is distinguished from _M. pentadactyla_ by its less heavy body; by its rather shorter tail, which has less basal breadth than _M.

pentadactyla_; by its smaller and darker brown, almost black scales in the adult, which are more numerous, there being from fifteen to eighteen longitudinal rows on the trunk, seventeen rows being the normal number, and sixteen to twenty caudal plates in the mesial line; and by its strong fore-claws, the middle one of which is not quite twice as long as the corresponding claw on the hind foot.

"_M. Javanica_ is recognised by its body being longer and more attenuated than in the two foregoing species; by its narrower and more tapered tail; by its longer and more foliaceous or darker olive-brown scales, of which there are nineteen longitudinal rows on the trunk, and as many as thirty along the mesial line of the tail; and by the claws of the fore-feet being not nearly so long as in _M.

aurita_, and being but little in excess of the claws of the hind-feet."

APPENDIX A.

FAMILY MYOXIDAE--THE DORMICE.

These small rodents approximate more to the squirrels than the true mice; but they differ from all others intestinally by the absence of a caec.u.m. They have four rooted molars in each upper and lower jaw, the first of each set being smaller than the other three, the crowns being composed of transverse ridges of enamel. In form they are somewhat squirrel-like, with short fore-limbs, and hairy, though not bushy, tails. The thumb is rudimentary, with a small, flat nail; hind-feet with five toes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Dent.i.tion of Dormouse (magnified).]

The common English dormouse is a most charming little animal, and a great pet with children. I have had several, and possess a pair now which are very tame. They are elegant little creatures, about three inches long, with tails two and a-half inches; soft deep fur of a pale reddish-tawny above, pale yellowish-fawn below, and white on the chest. The eyes are large, l.u.s.trous, and jet-black. The tails of some are slightly tufted at the end. They are quite free from the objectionable smell of mice. In their habits they are nocturnal, sleeping all day and becoming very lively at night. I feed mine on nuts, and give them a slice of apple every evening; no water to drink, unless succulent fruits are not to be had, and then sparingly. The dormouse in its wild state lives on fruits, seeds, nuts and buds.

In cold countries it hibernates, previous to which it becomes very fat. It makes for itself a little globular nest of twigs, gra.s.s, and moss, pine-needles, and leaves, in which it pa.s.ses the winter in a torpid state. "The dormouse lives in small societies in thickets and hedgerows, where it is as active in its way amongst the bushes and undergrowth as its cousin the squirrel upon the larger trees. Among the small twigs and branches of the shrubs and small trees the dormice climb with wonderful adroitness, often, indeed, hanging by their hind feet from a twig, in order to reach and operate on a fruit or a nut which is otherwise inaccessible, and running along the lower surface of a branch with the activity and certainty of a monkey"

(_Dallas_). This little animal is supposed to breed twice in the year--in spring and autumn. It is doubtful whether we have any true _Myoxidae_ in India, unless _Mus gliroides_ should turn out to be a _Myoxus_. The following is mentioned in Blanford's 'Eastern Persia': _Myoxus pictus_--new species, I think; I regret I have not the book by me at present--also _Myoxus dryas_, of which I find a pencil note in my papers. Mouse-red on the back, white belly with a rufous band between; white forehead; a black stripe from the nose to the ears, pa.s.sing through the eye.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Myoxus_.]

APPENDIX B.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Osteology of the Skull of Platanista Gangetica, section 257_. A. Side view. B. Upper view. C. Back tooth. D. Front tooth.]

The above ill.u.s.tration was by accident omitted from the text.

APPENDIX C.

NOTES ON SOME OF THE FOREGOING SPECIES.

_The Slow Loris_, No 28.--This creature sometimes a.s.sumes the erect posture, though in general it creeps. The following ill.u.s.tration shows an att.i.tude observed and sketched by Captain Tickell, as the animal was about to seize a c.o.c.kroach. When it had approached within ten or twelve inches, it drew its hind feet gradually forward until almost under its chest; it then cautiously and slowly raised itself up into a standing position, balancing itself awkwardly with its uplifted arms; and then, to his astonishment, flung itself, not upon the insect, which was off "like an arrow from a Tartar's bow," but on the spot which it had, half a second before, tenanted.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Slow Loris and a c.o.c.kroach.]

_Trade Statistics of Fur-skins_, Mustelidae.--The Philadelphia _Times_, in an article on furs, says that the best sealskins come from the antarctic waters, princ.i.p.ally from the Shetland Islands.

New York receives the bulk of American skins, which are shipped to various ports. London is the great centre of the fur trade of the world. In the United States the sea-bear of the north has the most valuable skin. Since 1862 over 500,000 have been killed on Behring Island alone. In 1867 there were 27,500 sea-bears killed; in 1871 there was a very large decrease, only 3,614 being killed. There were 26,960 killed in 1876; and in 1880 the number killed was 48,504, a large increase. Sea-otter fur is about as expensive as any, and some 48,000 skins are used yearly. Over 100,000 marten or Russian sable skins are annually used. Only about 2,000 silver foxes are caught every year; and about 6,500 blue foxes. Other fox skins are used more or less. About 600 tiger skins are used yearly, over 11,000 wild cat skins, and a very large trade is being carried on in house cat skins.

About 350,000 skunk and 42,000 monkey skins are utilised annually.

The trade in ermine skins is falling off, as is also the trade in chinchilla. About 3,000,000 South American nutrias are killed every year, and a very large business is carried on in musk-rat skins. About 15,000 each of American bear and buffalo skins were used last year.

There are also used each year about 3,000,000 lamb, 5,000,000 rabbit, 6,000,000 squirrel, and 620,000 filch skins; also 195,000 European hamster, and nearly 5,000,000 European and Asiatic hares.

_Tigers_, No. 201.--Since writing on the subject of the size of tigers I have received the following extract from a letter addressed to the editor of _The Asian_. Both the animals were measured on the ground before being skinned, and in the presence of all whose names are given:--

"Tiger shot on the 6th of July, 1882. Party present: C. A.

Shillingford, Esq.; J. L. Shillingford, Esq.; F. A. Shillingford, Esq.; A. J. Shillingford, Esq. Length of head, 1 ft. 8-1/2 in.; body, 5 ft. 6-1/2 in.; tail, 3 ft. 6-1/2 in.; total length, 10 ft. 9-1/2 in. Height at shoulder, 3 ft. 7 in.

"Tiger shot on the 17th of March, 1883. Party present: The Earl of Yarborough; A. E. Fellowes, Esq.; Col. R. C. Money, B.S.C.; Capt.

C. H. Mayne, A.D.C.; Lieut. R. Money; J. D. Shillingford, Esq. Length of head, 1 ft. 8 in.; body, 5 ft. 7 in.; tail, 3 ft. 5-1/2 in.; total length, 10 ft. 8-1/2 in. Height at shoulder, 3 ft. 8-1/2 in.; girth of head round jaw, 3 ft. 1-1/2 in.; girth of body round chest, 4 ft.

7 in.

"The latter animal, though not so long as the former, was the larger animal of the two, being more ma.s.sively built, and by far the finer specimen of a tiger. He was shot by Mr. Fellowes while out shooting in the Maharajah of Darbhanga's hunt in the Morung Terai."

The following is an extract from a letter lately received by me from General Sir Charles Reid, K.C.B., with reference to an enormous tiger killed by him:--

"I had a tiger in the Exhibition of 1862, and which is now in the museum at Leeds, which was the largest tiger I ever killed or ever saw. As he lay on the ground he measured 12 feet 2 inches--his height I did not measure--from the tip of one ear to the tip of the other 19-1/2 inches. I never took skull measurements, nor did I ever weigh a tiger. I had another in the International Exhibition, which measured 11-1/2 feet fair measurement as he lay on the ground. The one at Leeds 12 feet 2 inches, as before mentioned, is not now more than 11 feet 6 inches. Mr. Ward was not satisfied with the Indian curing, and had it done over again, and it shrunk nearly a foot. The three tigers[41] mentioned are the largest I ever killed--all Dhoon tigers."

[Footnote 41: The third tiger is one which Sir Charles Reid has had set up, and is now in his house; it measured, as he lay on the ground, 10 ft. 6 in. He then goes on to say that his father-in-law had killed in the Dhoon four or five tigers over 11 feet, and that the late Sir Andrew Waugh told him he had killed one in the same place 13 feet.

He says: "I believe the Dhoon tigers are the largest and finest beasts that are found in any part of India." Their coats are longer and thicker also.]

_Elephants_, No. 425--The two Indian elephants now in the Zoological Society's Gardens, in Regent's Park, are interesting examples of the growth of these animals in captivity. I regret extremely that I have not been able to get accurate statistics regarding them before leaving England; I was obliged to put off several proposed visits to the Gardens in consequence of ill health, and am now correcting the final proof-sheets of this work on board ship, preparatory to posting them at Suez, so I must trust to memory for what I heard concerning them.

The large male, _Jung Pershad_, must be close upon nine feet high, and the female, _Suffa Kulli_, at least seven feet; and I was astonished to find that they were the same that I had seen as little things in the Prince of Wales's collection in 1876. _Suffa Kulli's_ age is not more than fifteen, yet she has been in a fair way of becoming a mother. There was no doubt as to the possibility, and she seemed to show some signs of it, but it ended in disappointment; however it is hoped that she will yet prove that these n.o.ble animals may be bred in captivity.

_Osteology of the feet in Ruminantia_, Artiodactyla--The following ill.u.s.trations were inadvertently omitted from the text in the section on the _Artiodactyla_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 1. Pig, or African deerlet. 2. Javan deerlet. 3.

Roebuck. 4. Sheep. 5. Camel.]

_Wild Boar_, No. 434.--A few days before leaving England, I called to say good-bye to an old friend well known in Calcutta and Lower Bengal, Dr. Charles Palmer. He asked me whether I had ever heard of a boar killing a tiger, and, on my answering in the affirmative, he told me he had just heard from his son, who had witnessed a fight between these two animals, in which the boar came off victorious, leaving his antagonist dead on the field.

_Ovis Polii_, No. 438.--Mr. Carter in one of his letters to me says: "I see that you make the biggest horns of _Ovis Polii_ 53 inches from tip to tip. In a photo of one brought down by the Yarkhand Expedition, which had a foot rule laid close, so as to scale it, the distance from tip to tip is nearly five feet."

I do not know which particular head is referred to, but two out of the three measurements given by me were of the finest heads brought down by the Expedition. There may have been a smaller pair with a wider spread, as the 73-inch horns I also mention, and which Sir Victor Brooke, to whom I sent a photograph, tells me is the finest head he has heard of, has only a spread of 48 inches.