A NEW GENUS OF CARNIVORA. 33 
In addition to these characters, the Cynictis may be readily distinguished by its ex- 
ternal form and appearance from all conterminous genera. It has a short head, con- 
tracted suddenly in front of the eyes, and forming a small naked muzzle, divided by a 
longitudinal furrow ; the ears are short and elliptical, naked inside, and directed for- 
wards ; the body long and slender ; the tail bushy, and two thirds of the length of the 
body, and the whole external form and appearance not unlike that of a Ferret or Ich- 
neumon. ‘The temporal fosse are separated from the orbits by a complete rim of bone. 
I propose to distinguish the animal which has given rise to these observations, by the 
specific name of Cynictis Steedmannii, in compliment to Mr. Steedman, to whose enter- 
prise we are indebted for our knowledge of this unique species. The following are the 
principal dimensions of this animal, taken from the skin, and measured along the cur- 
vatures. 
Length of the head from the muzzle to the root ofthe ear. . . . ts oy 
LL QiVE LARGO) LATENT EGP RG ee Be IT pi: ai = 
Breadth of the ear BPS Se ESOL AE a ee lz 
Length of the body from the muzzle to the root of the tail. . . . 1 6 
WETMORE YEE ee GEO aE SiG 2: de ae a Mee (| 
=A EE) ARE AH PTOI oT 1ST eg i li 7 
icaPot ab Gab eTOR Dime ee MER wn “4 
The hair is of a moderately fine quality, much like that of a Dog, smooth and close 
on the body, long and bushy on the tail. The general colour, as well as the whole ex- 
ternal appearance of the animal, is precisely that of a small For, bright red over the 
entire body, head and extremities, deep and uniform on the back, but mixed with silvery 
grey on the cheeks, neck, sides and tail, arising from a mixture of hairs tipt with 
grey, and dispersed through the fur of these parts. The breast, belly and legs, are 
unmixed red; and the tail, which precisely resembles the brush of a Foz, is covered 
with long bushy hairs of a sandy red colour at the roots, dark brown in the centre, and 
grey at the points: the last two inches at the tip of the tail are uniform dirty white. 
The hairs of the body are not annulated as in the Herpestes and Suricate, and they are 
altogether of a finer and more furry quality. The external form and appearance of this 
animal have been already compared to those of the Ferret and Egyptian Ichneumon ; but 
it probably stands higher on the legs than either of these species, being more completely 
digitigrade ; and its head is shorter and less pointed. The specimen here described was 
procured in the neighbourhood of Uytenhage, on the borders of Caftraria. 
In consulting the works of travellers through the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, 
I have been able to find but two notices which seem clearly to refer to this animal ; one 
by Dr. Sparrman, the other by Mr. Barrow. The first of these authors, in the English 
translation of his Travels, vol. ii. p. 184, has the following passage. ‘‘ Two other small 
animals, which probably likewise belong to the Viverra genus, I had only a hasty 
VOL. I. F 
