620 CARNIVORA. 



transversely as in Felidae ; lower carnassial without inner cusp, with a 

 minute talon ; subplantigrade, pentadactyle ; Madagascar 1 sp., C. ferox ; 

 shows some affinity to the extinct Felines, Proaelurus. and Pseudaelurus 

 Viverra L., civets, include the largest species, preineal glands well developed 

 and yielding the civet used in perfumery, Ethiopian 1 sp.. Oriental 4 sp., 

 V. civetta, African civet ; F. zibetha, Indian civet. The genus Viverra is 

 known from the Eocene. Viverricula Hodgs., rasse, 1 sp. Oriental and 

 Madagascar ; Fossa Gray, Madagascar 1 sp., without scent pouch ; Geneta 

 G. Cuv., genets, Ethiop. 4 sp.. Pal. 1 sp., 6. vulgaris in France s. of the 

 Loire, also Asia and Afr. ; Prionodon Horsf., linsangs, 3 sp., Oriental, 

 without the second upper molar ; Poiana Gray, 1 sp., Ethiop. ; Para- 

 doxurus F. Cuv., palm-civets, 10 sp.. Oriental, some of the species vary 

 their diet with fruit; Arctogale Gray, Oriental 2 sp., Hemigale Jourd. 

 Orient. 2 sp. ; Arctictis Temm., binturong, arboreal, partly vegetable 

 feeders, 1 sp. Orient. ; Nandinia Gray, 2 sp. Ethiop., without caecum and 

 hinder part of bulla unossified ; Cynogale Gray, 1 sp. Orient., semiaquatic 

 and arboreal, feeding on fish, small mammals, birds and fruit. Herpestes 

 111., ichneumons, mongooses, p | or |, m f ; pentadactyle, plantigrade, 

 postorbital process of frontal and jugal generally meeting, feed on small 

 mammals, birds, reptiles, eggs of birds and reptiles, insects, famous as 

 snake destroyers, 9 sp. Orient., 10 sp. Ethiop., 1 sp. Pal., H. ichneumon is 

 found in Europe, H. mungo the common Indian mongoose ; Helogale 

 Gray, Afr. 2 sp. ; Bdeogale Pet., Afr. 2 sp. ; Cynictis Ogilv., Afr. 2 sp., 

 with long caecum ; Rhinogale Gray., Afr. 1 sp. ; Crossarchus F. Cuv., 

 Afr. 5 sp. ; Suricata Desm., meerkat, Afr. 1 sp. The three next genera 

 are from Madagascar and are distinguished by the absence of ahsphenoid 

 canal and entepicondylar foramen. Galidictis Geoff r., 2 sp., Galidea GeoS., 

 1 sp., Hemigalidea Doyere, 2 sp. Eupleres Jourd., 1 sp. Madagascar, with 

 weak jaws and small teeth ; on account of these it was included among 

 Insectivora ; with entepicondylar foramen, without ahsphenoid canal. 

 Extinct genera : Amphictis, Upper Eocene (with Viverra), Ictitherium, 

 Upper Miocene. 



Fam. 3. Protelidae. Without ahsphenoid canal, auditory bulla 

 divided into two chambers, pes with 4, manus with 5 toes ; premolars and 

 molars -j^, small, placed far apart and simple ; feed on insects and 

 carrion. Proteles Geoffr. , 1 sp. , P. cristatus, aard wolf of S. Africa ; a 

 burrowing nocturnal animal. This family is sometimes united with the 

 next. 



Fam. 4. Hyaenidae.* i i c \ p |^ m ■^; upper carnassial 

 elongated, with three outer cusps and an inner cusp at the front end, lower 

 carnassial with two cusps and weak talon ; upper molar small, placed 

 transversely within the line of the other grinders ; bulla without septum, 

 ahsphenoid canal absent ; humerus without entepicondylar foramen ; 

 digitigrade, manus usually, pes always with 4 toes ; hind limbs shorter 

 than fore. They are apparently related to the Viverridae through Icti- 

 therium of the Upper Miocene of Evu"., and India. There is one Uving genus 

 confined to the Old World, 3 sp. Ethiop., 1 sp. Afr., and 1 sp. Pal. ; fossil 

 genera {Hyaenictis, etc.) from the Mionene onwards of Eur., N. Afr, S. 

 Asia. Hyaena Zimm., pi, m \, mainly carrion eaters; H. crocuta the 

 spotted hyaena, Afr., S. of Sahara ; H. striata the striped hyaena of N. 

 Afr., and S. Asia. 



* Watson, P.Z.S., 1877, 78, 79, and 81, on visceral anatomy of hyaenas. 



