25 i Lloyd's natural history 1 . 



head and body in the typical variety, about 24 inches ; of tail, 

 13 inches. 



Distribution. — Typically West and South Africa; replaced in 

 East Africa (White Nile) by a larger variety (//". robustus) with 

 a proportionately shorter tail. 



Habits. — In South Africa this species is stated to frequent 

 marshy spots and the banks of the smaller rivers, feeding chiefly 

 upon frogs and crustaceans. 



VIII. EAST AFRICAN MUNGOOSE. HERPESTES PULVERULENTUS. 



Herpesies pulvcrulentiis, Wagner, Munch. Gel. Anzeiz. vol. ix. 



p. 426 (1839) ; Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 74. 

 Herpesies a; iculatus. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 551. 



Cbaract3rs. — Size rather small ; form somewhat stout ; tail 

 about equal in length to the body alone ; hinder extremity of 

 tarsus hairy beneath; fur rather long, soft, and shining. 

 General colour uniform grizzled grey, the longer hairs with 

 rings of bhek and white or yellow, the rings of each colour 

 bjing of equal length ; under- fur brown at the base and grey 

 at the extremity. Hair of tail long ; in colour the whole tail 

 like the body ; feet slightly darker. Length of head and body, 

 from 13 to 15 inches; of tail, 10 to ii'j inches. 



Distribution. — Eastern side of the Cape Colony (Algoa Bay, 

 Natal, &c). 



With the exception that it has not a black tail-tip, this 

 species presents a considerable resemblance to a very diminu- 

 tive specimen of II. coffer; the nature of the fur being 

 similar in the two species. The geographical distribution is 

 remarkably restricted. 



IX. THE SHORT-HAIRED MUNGOOSE. HERPESTES 

 PUNCTATISSIMUS. 

 fferpestes pimctatissinius, Temminck, Esquisses Zool. p. 100 

 (1853); Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 7.1,. 



