B&2 Mr. Ogilby's Description of a 



retractile. Neither the present species, nor the Par. TVpw*,has the feet pal- 

 in ated as stated in the generic description of Desmarest: for the con- 

 nection of the toes bears a perfect resemblance to that observable in the 

 Feline race, which is widely different from the true palmated form 

 presented in the extremities of the otter and beaver. 



I had no opportunity of ascertaining the nature of its dentition : but 

 from the close affinity subsisting between the form of its head and ex- 

 tremities, and that of the corresponding organs of the common Paradoxure, 

 it is but natural to suppose that their dental systems are equally approxi- 

 mate. 



The hair is long and furry in its texture on the body ; short and coarse 

 on the head and limbs. The whiskers are long, stiff and black. The 

 cheeks, nose, and face in general are black, with a tinge of light ash-colour 

 about and between the eyes. The head, neck, shoulders, rump and 

 tail, are covered by a fine, thick, light-brown fur, mixed with long 

 coarser hairs tipt with black and communicating to these parts a dark ash- 

 colour, through which, however, the fine under fur is distinctly visible. 

 These black hairs are much more thickly scattered upon the shoulders 

 than over the neck and rump; so that the neck almost appears to be sur- 

 rounded by a light brown ring, from the contrast afforded by the dark 

 colour of the head and shoulders on either side of it. The dark ash- 

 colours on the fore and hind parts are separated by a broad ring, from four 

 to five inches in extent, of uniform white hairs, which completely 

 surrounds the loins. The belly, inside of the thighs and tip of the tail 

 are white; the legs are almost jet black; and the feet, from the heel 

 downwards, both before and behind, are a pure unmixed white. It is 

 from this striking feature that I have proposed distinguishing this animal 

 by the specific name of leucopus. 



In the power of curling the tail, from which circumstance M. F. Cuvier 

 derived the generic name of this tribe of animals, the whitefooted Para- 

 doxure resembles the common black Genet, or Par. Typus; as well as in 

 the avidity with which it devours bread, fruit and other vegetable sub- 

 stances. There is, however, one circumstance with respect to this power 

 of folding the tail, which I have repeatedly observed in both these species, 

 and which differs materially from the account given by the French Natu- 

 ralists. In the instances which have fallen under my notice, the curling 



