OCR Text |
Show 622 MR. R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE MAMMALS. [June 23, do various tricks at fairs. These will probably be of the species acquired by the Society in 1867, and figured in woodcut as Ursus piscator, Pucheran (P. Z. S. 1867, p. 817). 29. MELES LEPTORHYNCHUS, Alph. M.-Edwards. (Chinese Badger.) M. chinensis, Gray, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 207 (figures of skull). Of this species "the skull," remarks Dr. J. E. Gray, " is so like that of Meles leucurus from Thibet that I should have regarded them as the same, if there were not so much difference in the length, and flaccidness and coloration of the fur, and the abundance of the under-fur. This may depend on the climate. The shortness and peculiar colour of the fur are exactly alike in the specimens sent by Dr. Harland from Hongkong, and by Mr. Consul Swinhoe from Amoy. I may observe that when Dr. Harland's specimen was sent it was regarded as a young Arctonyx collaris." (Cat. M a m m . 1869, p. 127.) The first of this species was brought to m e at Amoy on the 17th July, 1867, in so badly wounded a state that it soon died. It was a male, and measured from the snout to the root of the tail 22 inches : tail 6; from carpal joint of fore leg to tips of claws 475; from shoulder to carpal joint 8*25 ; sole of fore foot 2*2 long, 1*1 broad, longest claw *6 ; hind foot 2*8. Length of head 5*1 ; tip of nose to corner of eye 1*7; from ear to ear across head 2*45; breadth of ear 1*5 ; edge of upper lip to base of projecting nose *75. Hair of upper body coarse, about 1*5 inch long. Nose and nails brownish flesh-colour. Soles of feet pale flesh-colour. Band under nose brown, with a narrow side border of same to lower lip. A baud of black about an inch wide runs along either side of the head, from near the snout across the eyes, and terminates broader just behind the ear. A broad stripe of buff-v, hite runs from the nose to the occiput, and another of the same colour on either side of the face (including angle of mouth, with a narrow strip round chin) to below and beyond the ear; ear black, with a buff-white border to its upper half. Underparts and limbs black; upper parts somewhat densely clothed with short pale buff woolly under-fur; the upper-fur long and coarse, and also pale buff with dark centres, giving a grizzly appearance to the coat. Tail plain light buff. Teeth somewhat worn. The fur had many lice, but I only detected one flea. On the 19th July a male and female were brought to me, the latter very large and very old, with few teeth remaining, and these quite worn dowu. They were both fresh killed. The female had four teats on the belly, and two on the abdomen, just between the fore part of the thighs. She measured 31*5 inches, with a tail of 7*25 to its bony tip, and hairs extending 2-25 beyond ; between ears across head 2*75. Her hair was much longer, especially on the tail; and she was much more tawny on the upper parts. Neither of them had the black and white face-markings so distinct as in the younger animal of the 18th June. |