HERPESTES. oon 
poison of a snake is injected into the veins of a mungoose it proves 
fatal. The female produces from three to four young at a time. 
The cry of the mungoose is a grating mew, varied occasionally by a 
little querulous yelp, which seems to be given in an interrogative sort of 
way when searching for anything. When angry it growls most audibly 
for such a small beast, and this is generally accompanied by a bristling 
of the hair, especially of the tail. 
No. 237. HERPESTES JERDONI ve/ MONTICOLUS. 
The Long-tailed Mungoose (Jerdon’s No. 129). 
HasitTat.—Indian peninsula, it having been found in the extreme 
south as well as Kashmir in the north and Singbhoom in the centre. 
Description.—Colour like the last, but more yeilow in general 
tone; tail long, tipped with maroon and black, very hairy ; feet dark 
reddish-brown ; muzzle slightly tinged with red; under fur pale 
yellowish, the long hairs being broadly tipped with brown, darkest at the 
tip, paler at the base, then a white band; then three brown bands 
separated by white, the base of the hair being broadly white ; the skull 
is distinguishable by the breadth of the frontal region ‘across the 
post-orbital processes, and between the anterior margins of the orbit. 
Dr. Anderson considers this as identical with the Kashmir JZ. ° 
thysanurus, which has also been found by Mr. Ball in Singbhoom. 
Dr. Gray says it is very like the African AZ. ichneumon, only paler. Dr. 
Jerdon had only obtained it from the Eastern Ghats inland from 
Nellore, where it inhabits forests among the hills. 
S1zeE.—Head and body, 20 inches; tail, 19 inches. 
No. 238. HERPESTES SMITHII. 
The Ruddy Mungoose (Jerdon’s No. 130). 
NaTivE NamMe,—Dee/o, Singhalese. 
Hasirat.—Southern India and Ceylon. 
DeEscripTion.—Reddish ferruginous brown, long hair, well grizzled, 
more red on the head and outer part of limbs; hairs annulated dark 
and white, with reddish tips ; muzzle long and flesh-coloured ; feet black ; 
tip of tail black. 
S1zE.—Head and body, 15 inches ; tail, 12 to 13 inches, 
This is the same as 7, E//ioti of Blyth, and 7. rudiginosus of Kellaart, 
and Calictis Smithii of Gray. 
No. 239. HERPESTES AUROPUNCTATUS. 
The Gold-speckled Mungoose ( Jerdon’s No. 131). 5 
Haszitat.—The plains near the hills from Afghanistan to Bengal, 
also Assam and Burmah, and on into the Malayan peninsula. 
Q 
