60 VIVEIlttlD^. 



being so niucli larger than was then known on the Continent, seems 

 to have excited the distrust of the continental zoologists as to their 

 distinctness. 



M. Temminck, in the second volume of his ' Monographic,' pub- 

 lished an essay on the genus, and states that he was indebted to Mr. 

 Ogilby for his assistance. But I fear he must have misunderstood 

 some of Mr. Ogilby's observations ; for I can hardly think that an 

 English zoologist, who, from his position as Secretary of the Zoolo- 

 gical Society, must have seen many species of the genus alive, could 

 have had such an imperfect acquaintance with the specimens that 

 are to be seen in our menageries. 



M. Temminck's ' Monograph ' is accurate as far as regards the 

 species which inhabit the Asiatic possessions now or formerly under 

 the Dutch rule. But M. Temminck seems to be entirely unac- 

 quainted with the species of continental India and China ; he con- 

 fused, under the same description, species that are very unlike in 

 external characters ; some of his figures of the skull do not agree 

 with the skulls of the species which we have extracted from the 

 skins. I maj' observe that it was formerly the great defect of the 

 osteological collection at Leyden that many of the skeletons had been 

 purchased at sales of private collections in London and elsewhere ; so 

 that the accm-acy of the determination of the sjiecies from which the 

 skulls were obtained solely depended on the accuracy or knowledge 

 of the proprietor, generally more of an anatomist than a zoologist ; 

 and as the skin was not kept, there wfis no means of verifying the 

 name. Hence it is very likely the Nepal P. Gray I was called in the 

 collection from which it was obtained P. musanga of Java. M. 

 Schlegel has been remedjing this defect by the preparation of ske- 

 letons from well-determined specimens. 



M. Jourdan observes, " Ce que nous pouvons dire c'est que dans 

 la collection osteologique du Museum il existe des tetes osseuses qui, 

 sous le nom commuu de Paradoxurus ti/pus, indiquent an moins 

 quatre especes, et que dans chacune d'elles on pent aisement di- 

 stinguer une difference tranchante de disposition carnassiere." — 

 Ann. Sci. Nat. viii. p. 275, 1837. 



The development of the auditory bulla is variable in the genera 

 and species. In Paguma, Paradoxurus, and Arctogale the bulla is 

 large, ventricose, slightly keeled along the lower edge, with a trian- 

 gular end. In Nandinia it is very small, not inflated, and scarcely 

 raised. It varies in form in the different species of Paradoxurus, 

 being smallest in P. bondar. 



The hinder part of the palate of the skull also affords good cha- 

 racters, thus : — 



1. The hinder opening of the palate is wide, and nearly in a line 

 with the hinder edge of the last grinder, in Paradoxurus and Nan- 

 dinia. 



2. The hinder opening of the palate is wide, and further back 

 than the hinder edge of the last grinder, in Paguma and Arctictis. 



