THE STRIPED MUNGOOSES. 277 



Rhyzcena typicus, Smith, S. African Quart. Journ. vol. ii. p. 117 



(1835). 



Suricata tetradactyla, Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 92. 



Characters. — Size small ; form slender ; tail about half the 

 length of the head and body ; fur long and soft. General colour 

 light grizzled grey, with black cross-bands on the hinder part of 

 the back, these dark and light bands being formed by the 

 regular arrangement of the hairs, which are ringed with black 

 and white, the latter colour predominating. Under-fur dark 

 rufous. Head nearly white, with the exception of a distinct 

 oblong black mark round the eyes ; ears black ; tail yellowish, 

 with a distinct black tip ; feet coloured like the body. Length 

 of head and body, 14 to 15 inches ; of tail, 7 to 8 inches. 



Distribution. — Cape Colony, ranging to Algoa Bay. 



Habits. — Meerkats are sociable little animals, found both in the 

 plains and on the mountains of the Cape Colony. In the latter 

 situation they dwell in caves and the crevices of the rocks ; 

 but in the former dig burrows for themselves wherever the soil 

 is sandy, the long curved black claws of the fore-feet being 

 specially adapted for such work. Unlike the typical Mun- 

 gooses, they are essentially diurnal animals, not making their 

 appearance above ground till well after sunrise, and loving to 

 bask in the full solar rays. When abroad they frequently sit 

 up on their hind-legs after the manner of Marmots, when they 

 will allow themselves to be approached within a short distance 

 before disappearing suddenly into their holes. When ap- 

 proached by a Dog, they utter a series of little short barks. 

 Easily tamed, these little animals form bright and amusing 

 pets. Their food is stated to consist largely of bulbous roots. 



XX. THE STRIPED MUNGOOSES. GENUS GALIDICTIS. 

 Galtdictis, GeorTroy, Comptes Rendus, vol. v. p. 578 (1837). 



The whole of the remaining members of the Family Viver- 

 ridce are confined to the island of Madagascar, and while the 



