Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org
Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org
Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org
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246 <strong>Journal</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> F.M.S. Museums. [Vol. VII,<br />
When Miller gave <strong>the</strong> name canescens to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Malay</strong>an<br />
Greater Mouse-deer he compared it with <strong>the</strong> napu <strong>of</strong> Lingga<br />
Island, later named T. pretiosus by him ' in <strong>the</strong> belief that <strong>the</strong><br />
latter represented typical T. javanicm napu. He his since<br />
written " Tragulus napu. (<strong>of</strong> Sumatra) proves to be a greyish<br />
animal quite distinct from T. pretiosus but somewhat closely<br />
resembling T. canescens <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Malay</strong> Peninsula," 2 and again<br />
later " The common peninsular Tragulus canescens differs very<br />
slightly, if at all, from <strong>the</strong> Sumatran T. napu. In naming it I<br />
was under <strong>the</strong> impression that <strong>the</strong> napu <strong>of</strong> Lingga Island<br />
I T. pretiosus) represented <strong>the</strong> Sumatran animal. '"3<br />
When Wrought! >n wrote (l.c.s.) <strong>of</strong> South Tenasserim<br />
animals " Geographically <strong>the</strong>y should be <strong>the</strong> T. canescens <strong>of</strong><br />
Miller, but differ so markedly in several characters from his<br />
description that I prefer to retain <strong>the</strong> older name," he was<br />
perhaps unaware <strong>of</strong> this or that Miller's description, being<br />
wrongly based, might convey a wrong impression.<br />
I have compared a series ranging from South Tenasserim<br />
to Singapore, with specimens from Sumatra and cannot find any<br />
differences: and as long as <strong>the</strong> occurrence <strong>of</strong> a distinct race in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Peninsula remains unproven, as seems to be <strong>the</strong> case,<br />
we have no right to use a distinct name for <strong>Malay</strong>an animals<br />
which should <strong>the</strong>refore stand as T.j. napu.<br />
Habitat:— Sumatra and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Malay</strong> Peninsula.<br />
Specimens examined:- Fourteen.<br />
Tragulus javanicus umbrinus.<br />
Tragulus umbrinus, Miller, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington,<br />
XIII. 1900, p. 191.<br />
Tragulus (canescens) umbrinus, Kloss, Journ. F.M.S. Mus.<br />
II, 1908. p. 148; id. (partim) Journ. Straits Branch Roy.<br />
Asiat. Soc, No. 53, 1909, p. 44.<br />
Tragulus javanicus umbrinus, Lydekker, Cat. Ung. Brit.<br />
Mus., IV, 1915, p. 273.<br />
"Similar to T. canescens <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> adjacent mainland but<br />
smaller in size and much darker in colour. Throat stripes<br />
blackish brown with scarcely a trace <strong>of</strong> pale speckling.<br />
Belly heavily washed with fulvous grey " {Miller).<br />
We have only one ra<strong>the</strong>r immature example from <strong>the</strong><br />
Langkawi Islands but it closely agree- with <strong>the</strong> above characterization.<br />
It is <strong>of</strong> a richer yellow than <strong>the</strong> mainland animal<br />
and more heavily clouded with blackish— <strong>the</strong> two colours<br />
more finely intermixed—and <strong>the</strong> sides <strong>of</strong> neck and body and <strong>the</strong><br />
1 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1902, p. 144<br />
^Proc. U. S. Nat Mus., XXVI, 1903, p 4 ;<br />
3 Proc. U. S Nat. Mus., XXXVII, p. 5 .