﻿NOTES ON SOME MAMMALS COLLECTED IN CONGO. 7 



be difficult to get hold of it dead, too, as tliese are the 

 first specimens which I have seen, although it is often heard 

 spöken of. What it feeds on (except poultry) I cannot tell 

 but all animals eat the soft parts of the palm-nuts. On the 

 plains one may sometimes catch a ghmpse of »Mfvenge» as 

 well. I suppose it lurks for small animals and birds there, 

 as it lies in wait for its prey, and it is very stubborn, for 

 if it is scared away from a hen, it is soon back again try- 

 ing to catch her. »Mfwenge» lives solitary, not several toge- 

 ther.» 



Mungos galera Erxlbben. 



1 specimen. 



Native name »Mfuki». 



Length of head and body about 60 cm. Tail rather 

 short measuring about 25 cm. without hair but is perhaps a 

 little mutilated. 



The skull labeled as belonging to this specimen indicates 

 a very old animal with worn teeth. Its maximum length^ 

 is 112 mm. thus more than in South African specimens, but 

 also more than in the specimens from French Congo recor- 

 ded by Pousargue, although not reaching the size of the 

 East African robustus. 



»Mfuki» »is according to the natives very prone tö 

 search the fish traps», Mr. Laman writes. »It prefers to 

 live near the water and feeds chiefly on fish, but according 

 to a proverb it is said to like to eat the big larvse of the 

 palm beetle» (a Curculionid, Bhynchophorus phoenicis). 



Crossarchus zebroides n. sp. 



2 specimens. 



. Native name »Ntoto». 

 With regard to the exteriör these Mongooses resemble 

 the South African Crossarchus fasciatus. The lower parts are 

 grizzled like the upper parts of shoulders and neck. There is 

 consequently no hne of demarkation between the colouration 

 of the upper and lower parts as there is in C. zebra. The 

 transverse bands are rufous and black, and broad as in C. 

 fasciatus about »three to the inch» (25 mm.) (quite anteriorly 



^ Measured to crista sagittalis, because the condyli are broken away. 



