34 



HERPESTIDiE. 



white rings on the hairs gradually disappear backwai'd, the tip being 

 entirely red. Dimensions (from a dried skin and in consequence only 

 approximate) head and body 15 inches; tail (vertebras not preserved) 

 to end of hairs the same. — (Three specimens in the Kurrachee Museum, 

 measured in the flesh are each half an inch longer both in the 

 length of the head and body, and tail). The hairs on the hinder part 

 of the back are fully If inch long. Tarsus and hind foot to end of 

 claw 2*8 inches. 



Mr. Blanford adds that " in general form this mongoose closely resem- 

 bles H. griseus, GeoflTr., so much so, that he was at first doubtful 

 whether it was more than a rufous variety of it. But not only is the 

 colour very distinct, but the skull shows some important differences. 

 The orbit is incomplete behind ; this is certainly the case in the 

 young of H. griseus^ but not to the same extent as in H, ferruginens. 

 The nasal bones are longer in H. griseus, their posterior termination 

 being behind a line connecting the anterior edges of the orbits in the 

 skull ; whereas in this new species the nasals terminate posteriorly in 

 front of the same line. The breadth across the frontal region, imme- 

 diately behind the post-orbital processes, is considerably less in if. griseus, 

 and the auditory bullas are differently shaped." 



The skull extracted from the skin of H. ferrugineus measures — 



Inches. 

 Length from upper edge of foramen magnum to anterior 



termination of intermaxillary bone 2*7 



Left nasal bones along the suture between them 0*54 



Breadth of frontal region where narrowest behind post- 

 orbital process 0*62 



Length of lower jaw from the angles to the anterior 



alveolar margin 1*85 



Hah. — Sind, (Larkhana, Kotree and Kurrachee). 



Herpestes, Andersoni, Sjj. Nov. — Chin, thi'oat, breast and under 

 parts ferruginous, slightly paler on the abdomen. A dark line running 

 from the front of each eye towards the nose, but separated from it by 

 a small ferruginous interspace. Upper series of long moustaches as 

 well as the group of hairs above the orbits black. Forehead darker 

 ferruginous than the lower parts, the hairs being white basally, then 

 black, followed by a subapical ferruginous band and tipped with dusky. 

 The soft under-fur is long and woolly, basally yellowish white, and 

 tipped with pale ferruginous. The hairs on the back are grizzled by 

 tricoloured annulations of white, black and ferruginous ; basally the 

 longer hairs are dusky, followed by 3 white and 3 black bands and a 

 subapical ferruginous band, the tips being black. Apical band of the 

 shorter hairs is ferruginous. Ears oblique, covered in front on their 

 inner margins with ferruginous hairs, darker and shorter behind. 

 Feet dark rufous brown, blackish on the toes, where the hairs are 

 broadly tipped with black. Claws black. Tail less ginzzled, only a 

 few scattered hairs with black tips. Those on the base of the tail 

 variously coloured,, some with broad white bases and a single black 



