216 MAMMALIA OF INDIA. 
in some species a sub-caudal glandular fold which contains a secretion, 
but without the musky odour of civet. 
The dentition is singularly like that of the dog, save that the flesh 
tooth is proportionally much stouter. 
The feet are five-toed, webbed; pads bald; claws semi-retractile ; 
tail very long, with from thirty-six to thirty-eight vertebre ; the pupil 
of the eye is linear and erect. 
No. 228. PARADOXURUS MUSANGA. 
The Common Musang ( Jerdon’s No. 123.) 
Native Names.—Xzhatas, Menuri (in Southern India), Lakati ; Jhar- 
ka-kutta, Hindi; Bhonar, Bengali; Ud, Mahrathi ; Kera-bek, Canarese ; 
Manupilli, Telegu; Marra-pilli, Malayan (toddy-cat and tree-cat of 
Europeans) ; Sakrala, Khoonta. 
Hasirat.—Throvghout India, Burmah and Ceylon, extending to the 
Malay countries. 
DEscRiPTION.—It is difficult to lay down any precise rule for the 
colour of this animal, for it varies much. In general it is a fulvous 
grey, marked or clouded with black, or with black longitudinal 
stripes. No two naturalists describe it exactly alike. The limbs are, 
however, always dark, and there is usually a dark stripe down from the 
top of head to the centre of the nose. I will quote a few descriptions 
by various authors: ‘‘ General colour brownish-black, with some dingy 
yellowish stripes on each side, more or less distinct, and sometimes 
not noticeable. A white spot above and below each eye, and the 
forehead with a whitish band in some; a black line from the top of 
the head down the centre of the nose is generally observable. In 
many individuals the ground colour appears to be fulvous, with 
black pencilling or mixed fulvous and black ; the longitudinal stripes 
then show dark; limbs always dark brown; some appear almost 
black throughout, and the young are said to be nearly all black” 
(Jerdon). ‘General colour fulvous grey, washed with black; face 
darker coloured, with four white spots, one above and one below each 
eye, the latter more conspicuous; from three to five—more or less 
interrupted—black lines run from shoulder to root of tail, the central 
one broader and more distinct than the lateral lines; some indistinct 
black spots on the sides and upper parts of limbs; tail nearly all 
biack ; feet black, soles bald to the heel, flesh-coloured” (Xed/aart). 
‘“ Nose brown in the centre, with the brown colour extending under 
the eyes; the spot under the eye is small and indistinct” (Gray). The 
last remark is reverse of what Kellaart says. The muzzle of the young 
animal is flesh coloured ; they are said to lose their black hairs when 
kept long in confinement, and become generally lighter coloured. 
