new Genus of Clawless Oiter. 195 
of a peculiar clawless otter, which presents such a remarkable 
combination of characters that it must be described as 
belonging to a new genus. 
PARAONYX, gen. nov. 
Like Aonyz externally, but with shorter and thinner fur. 
Facial vibrissea weakly (instead of strongly) developed, the 
superciliary and upper genal tufts absent. Nose-pad and 
ears asin Aonyx. Hands small, with five quite naked and 
clawless digits, unwebbed. Feet with five digits, of which 
the third and fourth alone bear minute vestigial claws, with 
smal] webs inserted at the base of the second phalange of 
each digit; upper surfaces of toes, from a little above tlie 
insertions of the webs, almost naked, bearing merely a few 
scattered, short, and quite inconspicuous hairs. Palms and 
soles entirely naked, the pads agreeing with those of Aonyz. 
Tail as in the latter genus. Coloration characterized by a 
peculiar frosting of the whole upper surface of the head and 
neck, extending backwards to the shoulders ; this frosting is 
produced by the longer hairs, most of them having, in the 
regions mentioned, long silvery tips. A sharply defined 
rhombic patch ef dusky hue present on each side of the 
muzzle between the eye and the postero-lateral corner of the 
nose-pad, 
Skull only distinguishable from that of Aonyx by the 
unusually short and broad interdental portion of the palate. 
Mandible less robust than in Aonyx, with the sympbhysial 
portion shorter and rather abruptly truncated. 
Dental formula normal :—I. 3, C. ;, P. 3, M. 5; 2:2 shed in 
old age. i 
Incisors and canines about as in Aonyx, but = a little less 
reduced and 73 still more completely in series. Cheek-teeth 
wholly unlike those of Aonyx, being remarkably small and 
weak (relatively smaller than in Lutra), brachyodont and 
narrow, laeking all trace of specialization for crushing (as 
seen in Aonyz) or for devouring a diet of fish (as seen in 
Lutra). The anterior upper and the lower premolars like 
those of Aonyw in general form; 2-4, ™1, and aq with the 
cusps usually found in Lutrine ; 2-4 and ™+4 in broad contact 
with each other, their inner lobes much less developed than 
in Aonyx, the difference being especially noticeable in ™-1, 
where the heel is very small and the cingulum, winding 
round the base of the low protocone, very weak. In 77 the 
