By Mr. R. I. Pocock on the 
simplification from that’type of organ found in the latter 
group. In the present state of our knowledge it seems to me 
that no satisfactory conclusion can be reached on this point. 
But even if kinship between Suricata and Crossarchus be 
admitted, it must be remembered that the former differs from 
the latter more than Crossarchus differs from other genera of 
mongooses. 
The main characters peculiar to the skull of Suricata are 
the following :— 
1. The plane of the base of the skull is inclined at an 
obtuse angle to the plane of the palate. In other 
genera these two planes are subparallel. 
2. The bull are nearly as wide 4s long, very flat, and 
project only slightly below the occipital condyles, 
which are situated between their postero-superior 
portion. In other genera the bulle are much longer 
than wide, inflated, and project some distance below 
the condyles. 
3. The ridge of the mastoid extends on the outer side of 
the bulla below the inferior edge of the auditory 
meatus. 
These characters, coupled with the difference in the structure 
of the ear, justify the erection of Surtcata to the rank of a 
subfamily—the Suricatinee,—the rest of the genera con- 
stituting the Mungotinee. 
Analytical Key to the Genera of Mungotide. 
The construction of an analytical key to the genera of this 
family is simplified by giving a foremost place to the number 
of digits and to the structure of the upper lip; but since the 
adoption of that course leads, in my opinion, to artificial 
affiliation, I have attached a secondary importance to those 
characters :— 
A. Supratragus a simple ridge with no valvular 
flap above it; skull-characters as enume- 
TALSM BOOVE . jaw miele beanie tea sis 2 = eens Subfam. SuRIcATIN2. 
Teeth as under a' below, pollex and hallux 
suppressed, upper lip uncleft by phil- 
CEU 25.02% ele eatatets einen tere Ree fete ais kevehe Suricata. 
B. Supratragus large and valvular, with a 
valvular flap just above it...... Raga Subfam. MuNGorTiIn2, 
a, Dentition sectorial, upper carnassial (pm*) 
dominant, set back so that its posterior 
angle is close to the base of the malar 
arch, its outer edge forming an obtuse 
angle with that of m', most of which is 
