shal 
MELLER’'S MUNGOOSE. aoa 
Distribution—Cape Colony and Orange Free State. 
Habits.—This Mungoose is an inhabitant of dry sandy dis- 
tricts, in which it burrows holes where it reposes during the 
night, while in the daytime it is abroad, engaged either in 
hunting for the mice and birds on which it feeds or merely in 
basking in the sunshine. 
XVII. THE SMOOTH-NOSED MUNGOOSES. GENUS 
RHYNCHOGALE, 
Rhinogale, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 3753; mec Gloger. 
Rhynchogale, Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1894, p. 139. 
The absence of a groove from the nose to the upper lip 
serves to distinguish this genus not only from all the foregoing 
members of the Herfestine, but likewise from all the Viverrine 
with the exception of Cyzogale. ‘There are five toes to each 
foot, and four pairs of pre-molar teeth in each jaw, while the 
palate of the skull is concave, and the under surface of the 
tarsus and metatarsus hairy. The teeth have blunted cusps 
suited apparently for grinding rather than cutting ; and the last 
molar in both jaws is relatively very large. 
The genus appears to be confined to East Africa. 
I, MELLER’S MUNGOOSE. RHYNCHOGALE MELLERI. 
Rhinogale mellert, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 375 ; Thomas, 
Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 85. 
Rhynchogale mellert, Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1894, p. 139. 
Characters.—Size and form very nearly as in Herpestes tchneu- 
mon , tail about as long as the body ; under surface of tarsus 
and metatarsus hairy as far as the bases of the toes. General 
colour uniform pale brown, the longer hairs with one or two 
rings of brown and white, which pass so gradually into one 
another as to give little appearance of grizzling to the pelage ; 
head and under-parts paler, in the former the white of the hairs 
showing more conspicuously ; feet darker: under-fur grey at 
