132 VIVERRTN^. 



retractile claws ; tail long, thick at the base ; hairs long, rigid, often 

 ringed with distinct coloui's. 



The Ichneumons or Mungooses, as they are named in India, have a 

 sharp muzzle, small eyes, short limbs, the hinder ones semi-plantigrade, 

 and the toes connected by a membrane. The female has only four 

 mammfe. The tongue is rough with horny papillpe. Some of the species 

 are stated to have a voluminous simple anal pouch, which does not 

 contain odoriferous matter, and at the bottom of which the vent is 

 placed. Hodgson states, " that both Nepal species of Herjjestes have a 

 congeries of small glands surrounding the caudal margin of the anus like 

 a ring, and secreting a thick musky substance, which is slowly protruded 

 in strings like vermicelli, through numerous scattered minute pores ; and 

 one species (^nyula) has also on either side the rectum two large and 

 hollow glands of similar structure, but with a thinner secretion, each of 

 which has a larger and very palpable pore." 



The mungooses are veiy active in their habits, bold and sanguinary in 

 disposition. They are partly fossorial, and in tbe hot tropical countries 

 of the old continent appear to take the place of the weasels of colder 

 regions. 



The bony orbit is often closed by a ring posteriorly, which however is 

 not perpetual, and in some appears to depend on advanced age. 



This genus is numei'ously represented in the Indian peninsula, and 

 extends to Africa. 



127. Herpestes griseus. 



Geoffroy. — Blyth, Cat, 1G4. — //. pallidus, Schinz. — Mangusta 

 mungos apud Elliot, Cat. 21. — Mangus, H. and Mahr. in Southern 

 India. — Newal, Newara, in Northern and Central India ; sometimes 

 called Nyul. — Miingli, Can. — Yentcaod, Tel. — Kordl of Gonds. 



The Madras Mungoos. 



Descr. — Tawny yellowish-gray, the hairs ringed with rufous and 

 yellowish, the general result being an iron-gray tinge, with less of the 

 yellow tint than in the next species from Northern India, which it 

 otherwise much resembles in size and form, whilst in the character of its 

 fur it is more like H. ni^xdensis. The muzzle is concolorous with the 

 body, as is the tail, which is not tipped with black, and is nearly equal 

 in length to the body. 



