a 


Bulletin 
of the 
Liverpool Museums 
UNDER THE CITY COUNCIL. 
Edited by H. O. Forbes, LL.D., Director of Museums. 

Vou. ILI. MAY, Iogot. No. 2. 

Description of a New Mongoose from West Africa, 
By W. E. De Winton, F.ZS. 
(PLate I.—Viverride.) 
The Mongoose here described was presented to the Liverpool Museums 
by Mr. A. Ridyard, who obtained it in the Cameroon River, West Africa, 
and lived in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London for about one 
year. By the kindness of Dr. Forbes, the specimen was made over to the 
British Museum by exchange. 
In captivity the animal was at all times perfectly silent and somewhat 
shy, but soon became friendly with those whom it recognised, and its 
friendship was easily gained by the gift of a sparrow or other small bird, 
which was very quickly eaten. 
The writer has had in his possession for some time the skull of a very 
large Mongoose, obtained from the natives by Mr. G. L. Bates on the Benito 
River, in the north of the French Congo. There can be no doubt of the 
identity of this skull with the present species, and as it is that of an adult 
male, the measurements are given below. The sagittal crest in this specimen 
is greatly developed, rising about five millimetres in height above the roof 
of the skull, from just in front of the temporal constriction backwards. In 
this specimen, too, the ossification of the orbital ring is complete and very 
strong ; in the type the frontal and malar processes are not in contact. 
The general form of the animal when alive gave very little indication of 
its true affinity. Its digitigrade carriage more resembled that of the sub- 
genus Ichnewmia, while its long face distinguished it from all known 
Mongooses ; this latter character is, however, almost entirely due to the 
length of the fleshy snout which extends far in front of the mouth and bones 
of the face. 
Herpestes naso, sp. n. 
In general form and carriage this species strongly resembles the White- 
D 

