266 Lloyd's natural history. 



having a black /oempo-\ike tail, and the other a tail with quite 

 as much white on it as in average albicauda. We thus see that 

 the presence or absence of a white tip to the tail-hairs is a 

 character upon which no specific distinction can be founded ; 

 and, in fact, it would rather seem that the white tail is the 

 result of a desert life, specimens from sandy districts having, 

 as a rule, white, and those from forest-regions black tails." 



XXI. LARGE-TOOTHED MUNGOOSE. HERPESTES GRANDIS. 



Herpestes grandis, Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1889, p. 622. 



Characters. — Known only by the skeleton, which indicates an 

 animal of larger size than the average of the preceding species 

 (to which it is closely allied), and with relatively much longer 

 limbs. The teeth generally larger and heavier than in H. 

 albicauda, this being especially the case with the canines and 

 the last lower molar, the latter having not only a more comp'ex 

 crown, but being likewise proportionately large as compared 

 with the first lower molar (carnassial). 



Distribution. — South Africa (probably from the Limpopo or 

 Zululand). 



XIV. SIK-MOLARED MUNGOOSES. GENUS HELOGALE. 

 Helogale, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 186 1, p. 308. 



The single representative of this genus is distinguished from 

 the majority of the species of Herpestes by having only three 

 pairs of pre-molar teeth in each jaw ; the first of these being 

 approximated to the canine, and thus serving to distinguish 

 the genus from the few forms of Herpestes with only three pre- 

 molars, in all of which there is a gap between the first of that 

 series and the canine. The skull is also shorter and broader, with 

 the walls of the brain-case thinner, and the ridges for muscular 

 attachment less developed. The sole of the hind foot is naked. 

 The last lower molar has but two cusps on its outer side. 

 The writer is inclined to agree with Professor Mivart (Proc, 



