| OCR Text |
Show 624 MR. u. S W I N H O E ON CHINESE M A M M A L S . [June 23, quarters light brown washed with golden. Body above and below light purplish brown, becoming nearly black on hind quarters, hind legs, and tail. The fore legs are deep purplish brown, paler on the front; claws whitish. The brown of the head ends abruptly backwards, with a transverse golden line edging it. Length from snout to root of tail 20 inches; tail 14*5, with 2 inches of hair beyond. Length of head 4*25; greatest breadth 2; breadth between ears 1*75. Hind foot from tarsal joint 3*50; sole-pads small; claws short, deep, and well-curved. I only procured the single specimen in Formosa, and have never heard of its occurrence in South China; but as the Indian animal is, according to Dr. Jerdon, very widely spread in Hindostan and its archipelago (Mamm. of Ind. p. 82), this Marten is likely enough to be found in suitable localities in China also. 33. MUSTELA SIBIRICA (Pall.). (Red House-stoat.) Vison sibirica, Gray, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 117; Swinhoe, Zoologist, 1858, p. 6223. Lives in the walls of houses in most of the towns in China, and feeds on Rats and Snakes. I have seen them in Tientsin, Amoy, and Formosa, and have heard of them in most places that I have visited in China (see anted, p. 238). The following note was made on a fresh male specimen at Amoy, about two-thirds grown :- Length of head 3*2 inches, from its junction with neck to root of tail 10*5 ; tail 9*75 (including 1*2 of hair at tip). Height of ear 1*25 ; depth of head near ears 1*75 ; breadth between ears *75, between eyes '7; greatest breadth of head 1*75, of nose *4, of eye *4; from rictus to tip of nose 1*2, to end of lower lip *75. Hair of a uniform light chestnut throughout, with paler underfur, slightly tinged with grey. Chin and round nose white, with some white on the under neck. Face in front of eyes blackish brown, with a little brown on the crown. Moustache-hairs brown. Claws light brown colour. 34. LUTRA CHINENSIS. (Chinese Otter.) Lutra chinensis, Gray, Loudon's Mag. Nat. Hist. 1836, p. 580; P. Z. S. 1865, p. 126 ; Swinhoe, Zoologist, 1858, p. 6224 ; P. Z. S. 1861, p. 390; 1864, p. 381. Found all over South China; frequents the sea-coasts as well as inland waters. On the 27th January, 1867, some fishermen brought me a fine male that had crept into their boat to steal the fish. It was dead, but still warm. I took down the following notes of its appearance:- From snout to root of tail 25 inches; tail 16*5, in girth at base 6 inches, tapering to a point, with about *4 length of hair beyond tip, making a complete point. Ears small and rounded; breadth between them across head 3*25 ; length of head 5*25 ; breadth between outer angles of eyes 1*3, between inner angles 2 ; eye in dia- |
