THE MUNGOOSES. 245 



is spread over it, and in the adult becomes merged in its 

 hinder surface. In the Viverri7ice, on the other hand, the same 

 process generally projects somewhat beyond the auditory bulla, 

 from which it remains markedly distinct. Instead of being 

 curved and more or less retractile, the claws of the Herpestince 

 are long, exserted, and quite incapable of retraction. The 

 glands so generally present in front of the scrotum of the 

 males of the Viverrincz, are invariably absent in the group under 

 consideration. It includes several genera, and may be con- 

 sidered mainly characteristic of Africa and Madagascar, since 

 only the typical genus extends into the Oriental region, and 

 even that has more Ethiopian than Asiatic representatives. 



As a genus, Herpestes is specially characterised by having five 

 toes to each foot, by the presence of a vertical groove on the 

 nose, and usually of four pairs of pre-molar teeth in each jaw,* 

 the number of molars being, as usual, two. Concerning other 

 features, it may be noted that the muzzle is sharply pointed, 

 the body long and slender, the legs short, and the ears short 

 and rounded. As a rule, the tail is long and tapering, with its 

 investing hair elongated. In the plantigrade feet, the extent to 

 which the sole in the hind pair is naked varies to a con- 

 siderable extent with the species, the bare portion extending 

 in some instances as far back as the heel, while in others the 

 tarsus is invested inferiorly with hair. The fur is coarse, and 

 has a peculiar specked or "pepper-and-salt" appearance, due 

 to the circumstance that the longer hairs are marked with 

 alternating light and dark rings ; in no case is the tail ringed. 

 All the cheek-teeth have very sharp cusps, and are thus 

 strikingly unlike those of the Palm-Civets, in which the cusps 

 are more or less blunted. The skull is remarkable for the 

 distinct contraction behind the orbits, and likewise for the fact 



* If but three are present in either jaw, there is a gap between the first 

 of the series and the canine. 



