Indian Antiquary Vol 14

SR No.: 032506
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 418
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
a ready-prepared meal is set out for their use. It is said that when they have satisfied their appetite they retire in an orderly manner to their haunts in the woods, without injuring a single thing that comes in their way." Elian gives another account also, which differs in some respects from the above: but, on the whole, considering the region to which the account of Megasthenes referred, I think that the species was the above, the technical description of which, given by Jerdon, is as follows: "Ashy grey colour, with a pale reddish or chocolat au lait overlying the whole back and head; sides of the head, chin, throat, and beneath, pale yellowish; hands and feet, whitish; face, palms, fingers, soles of the feet and toes, black; a high compressed vertical crest of hairs on the top of the bead; hairs long and straight, not wavy; tail of the colour of the darker portion of the back, ending in a whitish tuft; much the same size as entellus, i.e.length to root of tail, 30 inches; tail, 43 inches; but it attains a still larger size. Inhabits the Eastern Ghats and southern portion of tableland of Southern India, also in Ceylon, but not extending to Malabar coast."
Setting out rice for the use of monkeys, as described by Elian, is a common custom at present,
3. THE FLYING SERPENT (Όφις πτερωπός), Pteropus medius, Temm.-The Flying Fox. Strabo, quoting from Megasthenês, tells us that there are "in some parts of the country serpents two cubits long, which have membranous wings like bats. They fly about by night, when they let fall drops of urine or sweat, which blister the skin of persons not on their guard with putrid sores." Elian" gives a similar account. There can be little doubt that this is an exaggerated account of the great fruit-eating bats of India, which are known to Europeans as flying foxes. The extent of their wings, according to Jerdon, sometimes amounts to 52 inches, and in length they reach 14 inches. Less accurate observers have stated the span to exceed 6 feet. Though noisome animals in many respects, their drop
15 Mammals of India, p. 7.
16 Gengraphika, xv. 1, 37. Cf. J. W. M'Crindle's Megasthenes, p. 56. 11 Hist. Anim., xvi. 41. 15 Topsell's fantastic figure, founded on this descrin
[OCTOBER, 1885.
pings have not the properties above attributed. Flying foxes are eaten by some of the lower classes of natives, and Europeans who have made the experiment say the flesh is delicate and without unpleasant flavour. Though small species of European bats were well known to the Greeks, these large fruit-eating bats might well be regarded by them as something sui generis. It is quite probable that at the present moment many Europeans in India do not even know that they are true bats. As to the winged scorpions which, according to Megasthenês, sting both natives and Europeans alike, I can only suggest that they were hornets of large size.
4. THE MARTIKHORA (Μαρτιχώρας ̓Ανδροφάγος).
Felis tigris, Linn.-The Tiger.
This animal was described by Ktêsias as being of the size of the lion, red in colour, with human-like face, ears and eyes, three rows of teeth, and stings on various parts of the body, but especially on the tail, which caused it to be compared with the scorpion. Its name records the fact that it was a man-eater (Persian mardkhor in its archaic form), and this characteristic is also expressly stated by Ktêsias. It was hunted by the natives from the backs of elephants. Although it has been suggested by some commentators that it was the tiger, none of them appear to have seen how the several statements can be shown to be founded on aotual facts. Pausanias for instance, attributes these details to the imagination of the Indians, excited by the dread of the animal. Others appear to be unwilling to regard the animal as being capable of identification. Thus Lassen, referring to Ktêsias's assertion, that he had seen one of these animals with the Persian monarch, to whom it had been presented by the Indian king, asserts that "he cannot, in this instance, be acquitted of mendacity."1"
Among facts not generally known, though mentioned in some works on Zoology, is one which I can state from my own personal knowledge is familiar to Indian shikaris-it is that at the extremity of the tail of the tiger, as well as of other felidae, there is a little horny
tion, given in his History of Four-footed Beasts, has been recently reproduced by Miss Phipson in her Animal Lore of Shakespeare.
19 Ancient India, by J. W. M'Crindle, p. 77.