526 CARNIVORA 



in the existing animals belonging to this family seem to arrange 

 themselves mainly into two tolerably distinct groups, distinguish- 

 able by the characters of the auditory bulla and neighbouring parts 

 of the base of the skull, and by the structure of the feet. The one 

 form has the genus Vivcrra or Civet Cats for its most typical repre- 

 sentative, and the other Herpestes or the Ichneumons. 



Subfamily Viverrinse. — Auditory bulla oval, or rather conical, 

 broad and truncated and not everted behind, narrow in front and 

 more or less compressed at the sides. The outer or anterior 

 chamber very small and flat. The meatus with scarcely any 

 inferior lip, its orifice being close to the tympanic ring. Par- 

 occipital process triangular, its apex projecting slightly beyond the 

 bulla. Claws strongly curved and more or less retractile. Perineal 

 scent-glands generally present. 



This subfamily includes both Ethiopian and Oriental forms, but 

 the former are the more numerous. 



The typical section, which includes five genera, has the follow- 

 ing characters. Dentition : i § , c ^, p |, m f- (h in Prionodon) ; 

 total 40. Skull elongated ; facial portion small and compressed. 

 Orbits well-defined but incomplete behind. Teeth always sectorial, 

 never very small. Vertebrae: C 7, D 13, L 7 (or D 14, L 6), 

 S 3, C 22-30. Body elongated and compressed. Head pointed in 

 front ; ears rather small. Extremities short. Feet small and 

 rounded. Toes short, five on each foot. First toe both on fore 

 and hind feet much shorter than the others. Palms and soles 

 covered with hair, except the pads of the feet and toes, and in 

 some species a narrow central line on the under side of the sole, 

 extending backwards nearly to the heel. Tail moderate or long ; 

 usually marked with dark and light rings. A pair of large glandular 

 follicles situated on the perineum (in both sexes), and secreting in 

 most species an oily substance of a peculiarly penetrating odour. 



The numerous species of this section form a large series, the 

 two extremes of which differ considerably, but the several genera 

 into which they may be divided blend so into one another that it is 

 difficult to differentiate them sharply. 



All the animals of this section are, for their size, extremely 

 active, fierce, and rapacious. They feed chiefly on small mammals 

 and birds. 



Virerra. 1 — This includes the largest species. The teeth (Fig. 

 232) are stouter and less compressed than in the other genera; the 

 second upper molar being especially larger. The auditory bulla smaller 

 and more pointed in front. Body shorter and stouter ; limbs 

 longer ; tail shorter, tapering. Under side of tarsus completely 

 covered with hair. Claws longer and less retractile. Fur rather 

 long and loose, and in the middle line of the neck and back usually 

 1 Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. vol. i. p. 63 (1766). 



