s nest, he says, is formed of moss at some height from the ground,
supported on clusters of orchideous plants. Dr. Cantor, in his
'Catalogue of the Mammalia of the Malayan Peninsula,' writes as
follows: "In a state of nature it lives singly or in pairs, fiercely
attacking intruders of its own species. When several are confined
together they fight each other, or jointly attack and destroy the
weakest. The natural food is mixed insectivorous and frugivorous.
In confinement, individuals may be fed exclusively on either, though
preference is evinced for insects; and eggs, fish and earth-worms
are equally relished. A short, peculiar, tremulous, whistling sound,
often heard by calls and answers in the Malayan jungle, marks their
pleasurable emotions, as for instance on the appearance of food,
while the contrary is expressed by shrill protracted cries. Their
disposition is very restless, and their great agility enables them
to perform the most extraordinary bounds in all directions, in which
exercise they spend the day, till night sends them to sleep in their
rudely-constructed lairs in the highest branches of trees. At times
they will sit on their haunches, holding their food between their
forelegs, and after feeding they smooth the head and face with both
fore-paws, and lick the lips and palms. They are also fond of water,
both to drink and to bathe in. The female usually produces one young."

The above description reminds one forcibly of the habits of squirrels,
so it is no wonder that at one time these little creatures were
confounded with the _Sciuridae_.

_GENUS TUPAIA_.

The dentition of this genus is as follows: Either four or six incisors
in the upper jaw, but always six in the lower; four premolars and
three molars in each jaw, upper and lower. The skull has a complete
bony orbit, and the zygomatic arch is also complete, but with a small
elongated perforation; the muzzle attenuated, except in _T.
Ellioti_; ears oval; the stomach possesses a caecum or blind gut;
the eyes are large and prominent, and the tail bushy, like that of
a squirrel; the toes are five in number, with strong claws; the
shank-bones are not united as in the hedgehogs. The diet is mixed
insectivorous and frugivorous.

NO. 158. TUPAIA ELLIOTI.
_Elliot's Tree-Shrew_ (_Jerdon's No. 87_).

HABITAT.--Southern India, Godavery district, Cuttack; the Central
Provinces, Bhagulpore range.

[Figure: Dentition of _Tupaia_.]

DESCRIPTION.--Fur pale