Contribution to the knowledge of the genera Muntiacus and Arctogalidia in the Indo-Australian Archipelago (Mammalia, Cervidae & Viverridae)

As I have pointed out before, big game animals are very scarce in Museum collections. Many treatises are based on material from Zoological gardens, changed by captivity and often from unknown origin, from collections of frontlets, skulls and other trophies, bought haphazardly during expeditions which used all their time in thoroughly collecting the more interesting small animals. As a matter of fact, the rare species are better represented than the common ones, and the more a well-known species of game-animal is hunted, the fewer the specimens in the collections of the official Musea. The same is true for our knowledge of the biology of tropical big-game. Rare species, threatened by extinction, are studied with haste and often when it is too late to collect sufficient data. So, in preparing laws and regulations concerning the subject of hunting, one is always confronted with the fact that even the most necessary information is lacking. Barking-deer are game which is highly esteemed by hunters in our area, because they give good sport, the heads make nice trophies and perhaps also because the meat is excellent to eat. They are not scarce yet, no expensive hunting-parties are needed for an hour or two of shooting. In fact a man working on one of the large estates in Western Indonesia, may take his gun in spare-time and bring home a good buck before supper with a bit of luck