3. ATHTLAX. 155 



Ilerpestes galera, Desm. Mamm p. 212 ; Wagner, Gel. Anzeig. Lx. 



Mangusta galera, Fischer, Syn. p. 165. 



Mangouste vansire, Geoff. 



Mangusta (Atliylax) galera, DeBlainv. Osteogr. Viverra, t. 5 (skull). 



Ichueumon vansire, A. Smith, S. A. Q. J. p. 53. 



Ichueumon galera, Geuff. Mem. Egypt, p. 138. 



Vansire, Biiffun, H. N. xiii. p. 157, t. 21. 



Hah. Madagascar. 



According to De DlainviUe's figure, the skull is more solid and 

 stronger than that of A. ^alwlosus. Temmiuck thinks this a 

 variety or local state of Herpestes paludosus (Esq. Zool. p. 100). 



The description of the Vmisire, from a stiitted specimen, is as 

 follows: — -"The fur is less long than that of a Marten or Polecat, 

 of the same dark brown colour on all parts of the body ; the under- 

 fur is brown ; the longer hairs are brown at the roots ; the remain- 

 der blackish and redchsh, which succeed each other at small inter- 

 vals to the tip. These two colours occupy all the length of the hairs 

 of the tail. Toes 5 . 5. Length of body and head 13 inches, tail 

 7 inches, hair 2k inches long. Madagascar." — Buffon, H. N. xiii. 

 p. 169, t. 21. 



In the figure, the claws are represented as long, compressed, 

 arched, acute. 



The skull of the animal figured by F. Cuvier is engraved in 

 De Blainv. Osteogr. t. 5, 



2. Athylax paludosus. B.M. 



Brown, closely yellow-punctulated ; hair elongate. 



Ilei-pestes paludosus, Cur. R. A. 



Mangusta luinatrix, A. Smith, Zool. Journ. iv. p. 237. 



Herpestes palustris, Ri'qipeU. 



Ilerpestes griseu.-J, BurvhcU, Cat. 



Herpestes cali'er, Mas. Statfgard. 



Herpestes paludiaosus, I'cferx, Beise Mossamb. Saugeth. p. 119. 



Herpestes atilax (partly), Schiiiz, Sgii. Mamm. i. p. 371. 



Ichneumon m'iuatrix, yl. Smith, S. African Quart. Journ. i. p. 51. 



Mangusta paludiuosa, Be Blainv. Odeog. Viverra, t. 5 (skull ), t. 12 



(teeth). 

 Athylax paludosus, Graij, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 557. 



Hab. South iifrica. Cape of Good Hope, on the banks of the rivers, 

 a great diver (A. SmitJi) ; East Africa, Quillimane (Peters). 



Var. Black-brown, only very slightly punctulatcd, except on the 

 side of the throat. 



Var. Canine teeth very strong. 



Hall. Guinea (Gervais). 



The skull is wider, compared with its length, than in most species 

 of the genus ; the brain-case is more convex; the contraction in the 

 front of the brain-case is not so great or so sudden as in Ilerpestes 

 ichneumon and //. cajj'er, and is only a very small distance behind 

 the hinder edge of the orbits. The orbit is very incomplete behind. 



