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Show 1900.] M A M M A L S OF SIAM A N D T H E M A L A Y PENINSULA. 377 Distribution. " Probably all tropical and temperate seas " (Blanford). Dolphins are numerous on both sides of the Malay Peninsula and in the'Gulf of Siam. I have from time to time seen three, apparently different species, but have never managed to secure any specimens ; one of these is D. delphis, one a smaller species, and one larger than D. delphis, with a very prominent dorsal fin. Local sailors report seeing a " wrhite porpoise" at Belawan Deli, on the east coast of Sumatra, and at the mouths of several rivers in the Straits of Malacca. Order SIRENIA. Family MANATID.2E. 159. HALICORE DUGONG (Erxl.). The Dugong. Halicore indicus, Cantor, p. 66. Halicore dugong, Blanf. Faun. Ind., M a m m . p. 594, fig. 196. " Duyong" or " Parampiian Laut" of the Malays of the Peniusula, apud Cantor. I have in m y possession a beautifully finished pencil drawing of " A young male Eujong taken in the neighbourhood of Singapore in April 1837. Measuring in length from the tail to the nose on the back 7 ft. 4 in. A Commander of a Portuguese ship trading to China says that in Portuguese this Fish or Animal is called ' Pexi Mulher' (literally W o m a n Fish)-he had seen them at Palaos in the Pacific. The bones of the jaws, the top of the scull and the throat are much esteemed there, especially those of the jaws which are of value aud used as ornaments by the Natives, who are Savages." This note and the drawing are unsigned, but are stamped " Pinang, 4 Ja. 1838, Post-Office." Cantor says : " The Duyong appears not to be numerous at Singapore, still less so to the Northward, and has but in few-instances been observed in Kwala Miida, the mouth of the river, which forms the northern boundary of Province Wellesley." Horsfield (Cat, M a m m . Mus. East India Co. 1851, p. 139) records a Dugong's skull " from Finlayson's Collection, Siam." Ridley (Nat. Science, vi. 1895, p. 165) says "The Dugong is tolerably common in the Strait between Johore and Singapore ; but one does not often see it," and gives some information about it. Hanitsch (Rep. Eaffles Libr. & Mus. 1898, p. 9) records a specimen from Malacca. In July 1898 I saw one in the Eaffles Museum labelled Singapore. Mr. L. Wray told m e in 1896 he believed the Dugong was not found on the coast of Perak, probably owing to the lack of sea-weed. Distribution. Shores of the Indian Ocean, Straits of Malacca, and coasts of Borneo. |
