120 Mr. J. L. Bonhote on the 



Average measurement of ten adult skulls : — 



Basal length 93 8 millim. ; zygomatic breadth 44"4 ; length 

 of palate from henselion 45' 7 ; length of bulla 23 ; basi- 

 occipital, breadth at condyloid foramina 12*7, breadth ante- 

 riorly 6'8 ; greatest diameter of upper carnassial 9'4 ; least 

 breadth of palate between inner roots of carnassials 12"3. 



Specimens from the Malay Peninsula representing the 

 original V. malaccensis may be distinguished by having only 

 seven dark rings on the tail instead of eight as in all other 

 specimens, the tip being pure white. 



While there are no very tangible differences among speci- 

 mens from diflferent parts of India proper, there are in the 

 British Museum two specimens from Rajputana so different 

 in appearance that I would make them a subspecies, and 

 propose for them the name 



Viverricula malaccensis deserti, subsp. n. 

 Viverricula malaccensis, Thos. P. Z. S. 1886, p. 55. 



Similar in size to V. malaccensis. Hair close and long. 

 General colour buffy white, with darker mottlings, but with 

 no distinct markings except a few spots on the flanks. The 

 winter pelage consists of a thick woolly underfur, slate-grey 

 at its base and whitish towards the tip, thickly interspersed 

 with long white bristles having a dark or fulvous tip. The 

 summer coat is similar, except that the underfur is scanty and 

 the bristles greatly predominate. The underside of the neck 

 is of a uniform buffy white, interrupted by two transverse 

 dark bands. The chest and belly are similar to the back, 

 except tliat the bristles are more scanty and have no dark tip, 

 thus allowing the slate-grey of the underfur to show through. 

 Hands and feet uniform seal-brown. Tail covered with long 

 hair similar to that on the body and marked with alternate 

 rings of dark brown and whitish. 



The skull presents no marked differences from that of a 

 typical malaccensis. 



Dimensions of the type (an adult male measured in the 

 flesh) :— 



Head and body 581 millim. ; tail without hair 401 ; ear 30 ; 

 hind foot 99. 



Skull : basal length 94 ; zygomatic breadth 45 ; length of 

 palate from henselion 45'7 ; length of bulla 22 ; basioccipital, 

 breadth at condyloid foramen 13, breadth anteriorly 65 ; 

 greatest diameter of upper carnassial 10 ; least breadth of 

 palate between inner roots of carnassials 12*3. 



Hab. Rajputana. 



