THE SMALL MUNGOOSE. 267 
Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 178), as to the doubtful validity of the 
genus, 
I. THE SMALL MUNGOOSE. HELOGALE PARVULA. 
Flerpestes parvulus, Sundevall, Oef. K. Vet. Ak. Foérhandl. 
Stockh, 1846, p. 121. 
flelogale parvula, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 308; Thomas, 
Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 79 ; Jentink, Notes Leyd. Mus. 
vol. xi. p. 31 (1888) ; Bocage, J. Sci. Lisboa, ser. 2, vol. i. 
p. 180 (1889). 
flerpestes undulatus, Peters, Reise Mossambique, Saug. p. 114 
(1852). 
flelogale undulata, Thomas, of. cit. p. 80 ; Jentink, loc. cit. 
Characters.—Size small, form slender ; tail rather shorter than 
the body. Typically the general colour dark finely-grizzled 
greyish-brown throughout, the hairs being ringed with black or 
brown and yellowish-white, and the feet and tail rather darker 
than the body. In the variety, H. wduZata, the general colour 
is grizzled rufous on the upper-parts ; neck, under-parts, and 
legs rich rufous, with less black grizzling; size rather larger 
than in typical form. Length of head and body, from 8% 
to ro inches ; of tail, from 41% to 634 inches. 
Distribution.—East Africa (Natal to Mozambique); West 
Africa (Angola). 
The typical form is from Natal, and the rufous variety from 
Mozambique. These were regarded by Mr. Thomas as speci- 
fically distinct, but Dr. Jentink subsequently came to the con- 
clusion that they were probably only varieties. The latter view 
is also taken by Prof. Bocage, who first recorded the species 
from West Africa, where both the grey and the red phase is 
met with, although the two appear to be locally separated. 
Habits—Anchieta, as quoted by Bocage, states that the “ Bi- 
muires,” as these animals are called in Angola, inhabit alike 
