On the Species of the Genus Viverricula. 119 



XVIT, — Ofi the Species of the Genius Viverricula. 



By J. L. BONHOTE. 



Several species of this genus have been made at various times, 

 but latterly most authors have placed them together as one. 

 A careful comparison, however, of the skins and skulls in the 

 British Museum has led me to the following conclusions : — 

 So far as can be judged from the present series, the markings 

 seem to vary considerably in colour, from a rufous to a dark 

 brown in individuals from the same locality ; there seem, 

 however, to be three distinct species in the group, each of 

 which might be subdivided into two or more subspecies. 

 The species are as follows : — 



V. maJaccensis (Gmel.). — Inhabiting India from Rajputana 



to the Malay Peninsula. 

 V. rasse (Horsf.). — Now found (whether introduced or not) 



in Java, Ceylon, Socotra, Madagascar, and Comoro 



Islands. 

 V. pallida (Gr.). — From China and Formosa. 



Viverricula malaccensis (Gmel.). 



Viverra malaccensis, Gmel. Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 92 (1788) ; Jerdon, 



Mamm. Ind. p. 122 (1867). 

 Viverra indica, Desrn. N. Diet. d'H. N. (2) vii. p. 170 (1817) ; Hor^^f. 



P. Z. S. 1832, p. 23 ; Elliot, Madr. Journ. x. p. 102 (1839). 

 Viverra be7iyalensis, Gray & Hardw. 111. Ind, Zool. i. pi. i^'. (1830 32). 

 Viverra rasse, Elliot, Madr. Jouni. x. p. 102 (1839). 

 Viverricula indica, Ilodgs. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (1) i. p. 152 (1838) ; 



id. J. A. S. B. X. p. 909 (1841). 

 Viveiricula rape, Hodgs. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (1) i. p. 1">2 (1838) 



(probably misprint for rasse), 

 Viverricula rasse, Hodgs. J. A. S. B, x. p. 909 (1841). 

 Viverricula maJaccensis, Blytli, Cat. Mamm. Mus. As. Soc. p. 45 



(1863); Anderson, Zool. Yunu. Exp. p. 166 (1879); Blanford, 



Mamm. Brit. Ind. p. 100 (1888). 



This species is so variable in colour and form of markings 

 that I have been unable to find any constant external cha- 

 racters by which it may be easily recognized ; the skulls, 

 however, show considerable uniformity, and the auditory 

 bullae, which are long and compressed laterally, causing them 

 to be deep at the same time, form a character by which the 

 present species may be recognized at any age. The bullae 

 converge anteriorly, so that there is a considerable narrowing 

 of the anterior end of the basioccipital, and in correlation with 

 this its edges are turned downwards, so as to form a promi- 

 nent ridge in front of the bulla on either side. 



