244 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 
aquatic, and feeds largely fish and crustaceans. It is, how- 
ever, stated also to capture and eat various land animals, and 
likewise to be capable of ascending trees with facility, so that it 
may be likened to a climbing Otter. With regard to the habits 
of the captive specimen mentioned above, which was exhibited 
in the Calcutta Zoological Gardens, Mr. Sanyal writes as follows: 
** Except very early in the morning, I have never seen this 
animal leave its cage during the day; and though it never ap- 
pears to be particularly savage, it always resents the approach of 
its keeper, or anyone else, by a sort of low, subdued snarling. 
The presence of a strong civet-like smell near its cage, es- 
pecially at night, unmistakably indicates the possession of 
odoriferous glands. Although said to be omnivorous, it shows 
greater partiality for an animal than a vegetable diet, and 
relishes fish more than flesh. JI have never observed it in- 
dulging in its aquatic habits.” 
XII. THE MUNGOOSES. GENUS HERPESTES: 
Lchneumon, Lacépede, Mém. Instit. Paris, vol. iil. p. 492 (1801; 
preoccupied), 
Flerpestes, Wliger, Prodrom. Meth. Mamm. p. 135 (1811). 
Mangusta, Olivier, in Fischer’s Synops. Mamm. p. 162 (1829). . 
Mungos, Ogilby, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 103. 
Urva, Hodgson, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. vi. p. 561(1837). 
Mesobema, Hodgson, of. cit. vol. x. p. 910 (1841). 
Osmetictis, Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. x. p. 260 (1842). 
Calogale, p. 560, Calictis, p. 564, Tentogale, p. 569, Onychogale, 
p. 570, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864. 
With this extensive genus we come to the first representative 
of the second Sub-family (//erfestine) of the Viverride, which 
may be characterised as follows: In the skull the auditory 
bulla is pear-shaped, and its hinder margin distinctly everted, 
while the par-occipital process does not project beyond it, but 
