Item 3 - Letter from Robert Wroughton to Brian Houghton Hodgson

1 letter

Muttra 15th Sept

To B H Hodgson Esqre
RD Agent
Goo Gal
Katmandoo
Nepaul

My dear Sir
I fear you will have thought me forgetful of you, but to shew you, I have not been so, I send half a dozen lines to say that more than 5 weeks ago I sent over to Major Herring of the 37th Regt. N.I. at Agra a case in which, there is a Tin Case containing the few specimens of Birds that I had and which I requested him to get down to Mr [Grey?] at Patna by the first opportunity, as yet no opportunity has offered, but in all this month, we may [?] calculate up on one presenting itself - the delay I hope will not be [material?] the Birds have been very securely packed in Tin and [?] down so that we may feel pretty confident that they will reach you in good order. To each specimen I have appended a brief note which will give you all the particulars that I am in possession of regarding them: some two or three specimens will I doubt not be new to you, and I shall be grateful if the lost prove acceptable. Yesterday I obtained two Bustards for you from the neighbourhood of [Hansia?] and these, I will forward also to Dinapoor by an early opportunity with anything else, that I may meet with which I think may prove an acquisition to your Museum. The Bat and two or three others of the same order I will also send down. I did not like to put the Bottles containing them with the Birds fearing that accidental breakage might destroy the entire [lot?] I very much regret to say that up to this hour I have been able to procure a good specimen of the [Bijoo?] such as I could send to you. The weather has been so unseasonable and the ground is [?] so dry, from want to Rain that the Kanjurs cannot get at them, if we have a good fall of water soon i.e. before my duties carry me into the district, I yet trust we shall be able to procure you a specimen or two male and female if possible. When you write me again just say in what way you would wish them to be preserved and how I can best manage it. [Devarell Rupesh Lebveld?] a good friend of mine used to pack Mamlia in Jars containing a mixture of [Jpait?] Alum and Spices. If you approve of this plan - and if so I shall follow it you perhaps can give me a Rp for the Pickle. About a fortnight ago my people accidentally met a couple of Kanjurs, conveying a dead Bijoo into the city, they brought the Men and Animal to me, but it was in such a mutilated state, and so advances in putrefication that it's skeleton would have been useless. I made a few notes which I herewith send you, which shall be added to if I have the good fortune to get possession of another Bijoo ere I proceed into the district on Duty. I merely copy the remarks as I entered them in my private Memorandum Book.
IN MY PRIVATE MEMORANDUM BOOK
Lessitox: Common name Bijoo of the Western [states]
Female: full size killed near [Mathea] and brought for my inspection on 4th Sept 1837
Food: Carrion of every description by reports of the Kanjurs
Abode: In holes of all varieties of depth, but chiefly under the foundations of old ruins report by Kanjurs
Weight 19lb 10 ounces avoirdupois. Extreme length from point of nose to extremity of tail 3 feet. From nose to first cerebral vertebra 7 3/4 inches. Length of [?] 2 3/4 inches From neck to Anus 20 inches. Length of Tail 7 inches. Measure across the shoulders to the extremity of the longest claws of the forefeet 28 1/2 inches. Length of Fore limb, from Shoulders to the extremity of the longest nail 13 1/2 inches. Length of head - Do- from Hip to extremity of longest nail 12 inches. Length of Fore Foot from extremity of Heel to point longest nail 5 1/2 inches.-Do- of Hind Foot - Do- Do Do -To -Do - Do- 4 3/4 inches 5 toes armed with Nails on each fore foot: Inner toe of nail shortest outer Toe and nail, next shortest. 3 centre Toes and Nails excepting that the hind nails are only half the length of the fore ones. Length of longest nail on Fore Foot 1/4 inch -Do Do- Do- Do- Hind foot 1/2 inch. or a little more. Teats on 2 each side of the abdomen one inch asunder on the same side and 3 inches separate, across the abdomen, the lowest Teat is situated 4 inches from the Inferior orifice of the Vagina.

Teeth in half the upper Jaw
3 false Molars
1 small Bicuspidate
1 Canine and 3 Incisors:
The latter are by no means
trenchant but short project
little from the alveolar process
and are extremely blunt

[SKETCH]

This sketch will perhaps make clear the meas[uremen]ts. Teeth in half lower Jaw the same as in the upper excepting 2 Incis. Teeth The only one there is short and blunt
Teeth 8 upper jaw
6 lower jaw

Extreme length of the alimentary canal 13 feet 9 1/2 inches, that is from the upper point of the osophagus to [cardiac] orifice 16 1/2 inches, length of stomach 7 inches and from pyloric orifice to the extreme point of the intestine at the anus 11 feet 10 inches. Stomach was empty, and so the intestines. The former I filled with liquid tying it just below the pyloric, and filling it up to the origin of the cardiac orifice. It contained when full, and quite distended 32 1/2 ounces [of] fluid. Apothecaries measure- Colour of the animal: is as follows: Throat, Chest, Abdomen, Inside Arms and Thighs deep dirty brown and scantily covered with course black hairs- surface of Head, Neck, Body and to within an inch of the extremity of the Tail, light dirty white approaching to grey: the Hair thick, throughout: from Eye Lids to Nose deep black: Eye Lids are rigid and provided with Eyebrows: The Ears are provided with little or no whiskers are perceptible, a few straggling hairs arise in the Upper Lip: The Arms and Legs are black. The animal altogether strongly resembles the 'Teledu' or 'Mydaws' Meliceps of Dr Horsfield, but it is more [disgusting?] has the white stripe on the back more extreme; its tail is longer, and sharp pointed, the snout also is not so long; neither is the eye situated so high in the head. I send you a slight sketch of the beast, merely to show you how deep the white stripe runs down the side: it is like the animal and quickly copied from a drawing I made of the beast at the time I examined it.
Such my dear Sir, are the particulars I have been able to collect from you, thus far, but they shall be rendered still more complete, if I can only get hold of another animal. This Bijoo, is of the Mephitic Weasel Tribe, and had it been in a bearable state, I would (with the [?] of a medical friend of mine) have looked at the [nephritic?] glands and glands from whence the secretion comes. We will do so with the next however. Pardon this hurried letter, I am much interrupted, and [otherwise?] suffering from a sharp attack of morbid sensibility of the stomach and intestines which materially distracts my head and mind. I need not say I shall most happily render myself of service to you in any way and therefore beg you will not hesitate to [use?] me if I can aid you in search of Indian Mamalia
Yours very truly
Robt. Wroughton