Mr. Blyth's Remarks upon specimens of Mammalia and Birds. 313 XXIX. — Critical Remarks upon Mr. J. E. Gray's published Cata-logue of the specimens of Mammalia and Birds presented by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., to the British Museum. By Ed. Blyth, Curator to the Museum of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, &c. By the politeness of Mr. J. E. Gray, I have just been favoured with a copy of his published Catalogue of Mr. Hodgson's specimens pre-sented to the British Museum ; and as I have sundry emendations of nomenclature and corrections of synonyms to offer relative to the species enumerated in that Catalogue, I shall proceed to do so without delay, in hope of checking the diffusion of error so far as my present information suffices for the purpose. Page 1. Presbytis schistaceus, Hodgson: erroneously referred to Pr. entellus of Bengal ; and all the synonyms incorrect, except the MS. synonyms of Mr. Hodgson. Pr. hypoleucos, nobis (noticed as a variety of Pr. Johnii by Mr. Martin, and since named Dussumieri by M. Schinz), is a conspicuously different species peculiar to Mala-bar and Travancore ; and the Pr. anchises, Elliot, quoted with a mark of doubt, is more nearly allied to the Himalayan Lungoor (judging from several elaborate descriptions of the latter which I have re-ceived) than is Pr. hypoleucos, but is doubtless also quite distinct, as is likewise Pr. priamus of the Coromandel coast and Ceylon *. Gentlemen in Europe, who derive their knowledge of exotic species chiefly or solely from a few museum specimens, may be pardoned for such occasional mal-identifications ; which cultivators of zoology who study the species in their indigenous abodes, as I have the Pr. en-tellus, — of which I have repeatedly seen troops of many dozens as tame as domestic animals, and permitting of the closest observation and examination short of actually handling them, — could scarcely fall into. The true Pr. entellus I have never observed to vary. P. 2. Macacus assamensis, M'Clelland and Horsfield, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 148, if identical with M. pelops, Hodgson, as might easily be ascertained by reference to the India-house specimen of the former, would of course bear the name by which it was first described. P. 6. To the well-known small Cat termed Leopardus Elliott by Mr. Gray, must be referred, as an occasional variety merely, the Felts Charltoni, Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1846, "p. 211. This variety has been received by the Asiatic Society from Assam ; and intermediate specimens occur which prove the specifical identity here asserted beyond all question. P. 7. The Tibetan Lynx does not appear to me to be identical with the species to which Mr. Gray refers it. I have examined several specimens. P. 11. Canis lupus, apud Elliot, is strangely enough given as a dubious synonym of C. aureus. A naturalist and sportsman of Mr. Elliot's experience and discernment would about as soon mistake a * Mr. Jerdon informs me that both Pr. priamus and Pr. hypoleucos are common in the vicinity of Tellicherry, on the Malabar coast, where he now resides.
XXIX.—Critical remarks upon Mr. J. E. Gray's published catalogue of the specimens of mammalia and birds presented by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., to the British Museum
BioStor
