14, AONYX. 109 



XI Feet oblong, rather elongate; toes rather slender, free at the end, hhmtly 

 or imperfectly clawed ; pads of palms large, of toes slender, separate. 



14. AONYX. 



Muzzle bald, oblong, transverse ; upper and lower edge nearly 

 straight. Toes half webbed, index and middle united together to 

 the third joint; claws obsolete or rudimentary and blunt; the inner 

 toe very short, index longer, middle and fourth longest and equal, 

 the fifth shorter than the index. Skull rather short, ventricose, and 

 convex behind ; nose short ; forehead convex, arched ; orbit defined 

 by distinct conical tubercles above and below. Flesh-tooth with a 

 very large internal lobe, nearly as long as the outer portion of the 

 tooth, with two cross ridges on the crown ; the upper tubercular 

 grinder large, massive, rather wider than long. 



The flesh-tooth of the Aonyx is larger and wider than in the Otters 

 with weU-developed claws. The outer margin of the tooth is pro- 

 duced outwards beyond the edge of the jaw, and furnished with a 

 distinct margin. 



Aonyx, Lesson, Man. p. 157 ; Gray, Loudon's Mag. N. H. 1857, p. 650 ; 



P. Z. S. I860, p. 129. 

 Leptonyx, Lesson. 

 Anahyster, A. Murray, Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edinb. i. p. 157 (from 



skull only). 



* African. Claws very rudimentary. Anahyster. 



1. Aonyx Lalandii. B.M. 



Brown, beneath paler ; sides of the face, to the orbits and ears, 

 throat, chin, and chest yellowish, divided from the darker colour by 

 a defined lino ; shoulders and fore legs darker. 



Very young animals are greyish white ; the cheeks, chin, throat, 

 and chest white ; the shoulders browner. 



Lutra inunguis, F. Cuv. Diet. Sci. Nat. xxvii. p. 248 ; Blainv. OstSogr. 



Mustek, t. 8 (skull). 

 Lutra (Aonyx) inunguis, Fischer, Syn. p. 228. 

 Aonj'x inunguis, Gerrard, Cat. Bones B. M. p. 101. 

 AonjTs; Lalandii, Lesson, Man. i. p. 57 ; Gray, Cat. Mamm. B. M. 



p. 71 ; Ann. Sf Mag. K H. 1837, p. 119 ; P. Z. S. 1865, p. 129. 

 Lutra capensis, Schinz, Cuv. Thierr. 1. t. 214. 

 Yar.? Anahyster calabaricus, A. Murray, Proc. Roy.Pht/s. Soc. Edinh. 



p. 157 (skull, B.M.). 

 Lutra gambianus. Gray, Cat. 3Iamm. B. M. p. Ill (skull, B.M.). 



Hab. South Africa, in rivers and lakes ; Cape of Good Hope {A. 

 Smith) ; Mossambique (Peters). 



L. poensis, Watcrhouse, P. Z. S. 1838, p. 60 (" Shining brown ; 

 chest, chin, and throat fulvcscent ; tail half as long as the animal ; 

 muzzle bare "), from Fernando Po, described from a skin without 

 feet, which is no longer to be found, is perhaps the same as the 

 former. 



