External Characters of Oy\-\o^^\^hc\n\ci\\\. 355 



Ear (PI. XIV. fig. 3). — The pinna, as described by others, 

 is small, but its upper margin is slightly angular, not evenly 

 rounded as stated by Sanyal. The cartilaginous ridges and 

 flaps round and above the meatus resemble closely in a 

 general way those of Genetta, as described and figured by 

 Mivart (P. Z. S. 1882, p. 517, fig. 12). The '' autitragus" 

 is well developed and "double," as Mivart says — that is to 

 say, there is an upstanding crest on its inner side, with a 

 fossa between. Similarly, the anterior basal ridge of the 

 "helix" forms a ridge on the inner side of the "tragus," 

 and is separated from it by a fossa. Above these lies the 

 longitudinal crest called the " supratragus " by Mivart, 

 the " plica principalis " by Boas, the " antihelix" by other 

 writers ; the lobate thickening of this is not well developed. 



Finally, the posterior marginal pouch or bursa, well known 

 in Canidee and Felida3 and described by INIivart in Genetta, 

 is present, but its anterior edge is only lightly concave and 

 its posterior edge is continuous above with the posterior 

 margin of the pinna, and does not arise behind it. 



When the ear is contracted to exclude water, the meatus 

 is closed by the ''dovetailing" of the ridges in front and 

 behind it, the antitragus fitting into the fossa between the 

 tragus and the lower or proximal ridge of the helix, and 

 the latter into the fossa between the outer and inner moieties 

 of the double antitragus. 



Mamma. — There are two pairs of abdominal mammae, as 

 in Paradoxurus, one pair set forwards a little behind the 

 position of the diaphragm and the other towards the inguinal 

 region on a level with the anterior junction of the integu- 

 ment of the thigh with that of the body. 



As regards the number of young, the only available 

 information, so far as I am aware, is that supplied by Cantor, 

 who had two with the mother. Since there are also two 

 with the female collected by Everett, it is safe to assume 

 that that is the average number in the litter, though the 

 teats afford provision for four. 



Feet (PI. XIV. figs. 4, 5).— Descriptions of the feet of 

 Cynogale attest the belief that the digits, in conformity with 

 the aquatic life of the animal, are provided with swimming- 

 webs, while those of its Paradoxurine allies are unwebbed. 

 The growth of this belief is a curious instance of the residt 

 of coijying and repeating extant descriptions, with the addi- 

 tion thereto of obvious inferences, without a check being 

 put upon the statements by reference to actual specimens. 



Althongh in his original description of Cynogale (P. Z. S. 

 1836, p. 88) Gray said nothing about the feet, he subsc- 



