MAMMALS COLLECTED BY DR. W. L. ABBOTT ON THE NATUNA ISLANDS.

By Gerrit S. Miller, Jr.

About three months during the spring and summer of 1900 were spent by Dr. W. L. Abbott in exploring the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea.[1] Specimens were collected at the following localities: Pulo Midei, or Low Island (May 23-26), Pulo Seraia (May 29), Sirhassen Island (June 1-10), Pulo Subi (June 12-13), Pulo Lingung (June 17-19), Bunguran, or Great Natuna Island (June 24-July 31) and Pulo Laut, or North Natuna Island (August 5-13). About 265 mammals were obtained, all of which have been presented to the United States National Museum. This paper contains an account of these, and is published here by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

Two extensive collections of mammals had been made on the Natuna Islands previous to Dr. Abbott's visit, the first by Mr. A. Everett during September and October, 1893, the second by Mr. Ernest Hose during July, August, September and October, 1894. These have formed, either wholly or in part, the basis of several papers,[2] which constitute the literature relating to the mammals of the islands.[3] Twenty-eight land mammals have been recorded as actually represented by specimens, though several others are mentioned which the collectors ascertained to occur. Dr. Abbott secured forty-four species, but failed to obtain seven[4] of those previously taken. The total number of mammals collected on the islands thus becomes fifty-one. This increase is due, in part to the recognition of a larger number of insular forms than has been admitted by previous writers, but also to a considerable extent to the actual addition of species not hitherto taken. Species new in the latter sense are distinguished in the present paper by absence of reference to previous records.

In regard to the faunal relationships of the Natunas, whether predominantly Bornean or Peninsular, about which much has been written,[5] it may be said that this collection, together with much of the other work recently done by Dr. Abbott, tends to show that there is greater general uniformity in the mammalian fauna of Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and the intervening islands than has been hitherto supposed. It seems unprofitable therefore to offer conjectures as to the probability of greater nearness of the Natuna mammals as a whole to those of Borneo or to those of the Malay Peninsula.

MANIS JAVANICA Desmarest.

1895. Manis javanica Thomas and Hartert, Novitates Zoologicæ, II, p. 492. December, 1895 (Bunguran).

An adult male was taken on Bunguran, June 24, 1900. Total length 914; head and body 508; tail 406.

TRAGULUS BUNGURANENSIS sp. nov.

Type.—Adult male (skin and skull) No. 104604 U. S. National Museum. Collected on Bunguran Island, North Natunas, July 9, 1900. Original number, 547.

Characters.—Color pattern essentially as in Tragulus nigricans Thomas, from Balabac. Size equal to that of T. canescens from the Malay Peninsula, therefore much greater than in the Balabac animal.

Color.—Back uniform ochraceous, fading to buff on sides, the hairs everywhere gray at base. Both back and sides everywhere darkened by black hair tips, but these never sufficiently abundant to produce a dark shading in excess of the ochraceous. The relative proportion of the dark wash to the light under color is precisely the same as in Tragulus canescens and T. napu (from Linga Island) but the black is less conspicuous than in the Bornean form of T. napu. Legs, except white area on inner side, like back but slightly brighter and less shaded with black. Entire dorsal and lateral surface of neck clear black to base of hairs, a few ochraceous specks visible on close scrutiny, particularly at sides near throat markings. On shoulders this black area fades abruptly into color of back; on head it passes forward between ears and eyes nearly to muzzle. Cheek, region between eye and ear, and line extending forward over eye to muzzle and separating black median stripe from naked loral space, ochraceous, essentially like that of legs. Throat markings as in Tragulus nigricans, but white stripes apparently even more restricted. Region occupied by posterior white stripes black, continuous with that of neck, but distinctly speckled with ochraceous. Region occupied by anterior stripes ochraceous, continuous with that of cheeks and somewhat less pure and more speckled with black. White stripes as follows: (a) One on each side of naked chin area. These are about 50 mm. in length and never more than 10 mm. in breadth, but occasionally so narrow as to break up into two or more spots. They are separated from naked chin patch by an ochraceous stripe slightly broader than the white. Chin area narrowly and discontinuously bordered with white, especially in front. (b) Two posterior lateral stripes varying from 50 mm. to 80 mm. in length, and never more than 12 mm. wide. They are strongly convergent anteriorly, and sometimes nearly joined together in front by a median spot. These white stripes are always separated from the anterior stripes by an ochraceous median area varying from 10 mm. to 25 mm. in width. (c) A median stripe lying between the posterior lateral stripes. Posteriorly this stripe is as wide as the lateral stripes, but it quickly narrows and sometimes disappears at middle of latter, though usually represented again by the median spot already referred to. In none of the specimens is this stripe broad and continuous anteriorly to level of front of lateral stripes as in Nehring's figure of the throat markings of T. nigricans.[6] Collar narrow, ochraceous grizzled with black. It is seldom more than 25 mm. in width; therefore much narrower than indicated by Nehring's figure. Behind the collar is a whitish gray median area continuous laterally with narrow light stripe down inner side of fore legs. This light area is sometimes divided by a dark median line joining collar with buff of belly. Belly and chest buff, essentially like that of sides, with which it forms no contrast in color. As on the sides the buff is clouded by black hair tips, but the hairs are scarcely if at all gray at base. On chest the dark hair tips tend to form a median stripe, which is sometimes sharply defined and continuous with the ochraceous line occasionally dividing white of breast. A clear whitish area slightly larger and better defined than that of breast occupies region between hind legs. It is continuous