398 Zoological Society. 



last, lias been formed into a separate genus by Dr. Horsfield ; the 

 teeth however, accordincj to the figure of that naturaUst, agree ex- 

 actly with those of the Civets, except in the deficiency of the last 

 upper molar. 



The second section is likewise limited to a single genus, Gmetla, 

 in which the soles of the hinder feet have a narrow bald line extend- 

 ing from the heel and bifurcating, so as to inclose a small triangular 

 hairy pad near the toes, the basal tubercle of which, and ihe tips of 

 the toes themselves, are bald. In this section also the anal pouches 

 exist, and the animals belonging to it, as well as to the former, when 

 in confinement, frequently retrovert their tails, in order to press 

 out, by rubbing against any hard substance within their reach, the 

 odorous secretion contained in the pouches. The species are : 1, 

 the Fossane, Vixu Fossa, Erxl. ; — 2, the Senegal Gennet, Viv. Senega- 

 lensis, Fisch., from M. F. Cuvier's 'Mammiferes Lithographies'; — 

 3, thejbline Gennet, Viv.fclina, Thunb., which has certainly no affi- 

 nity with the Civette de Malacca of Sonnerat, doubtfully referred to 

 it by M. Fischer : — and 4, the common Gennet, Viv. Genetta, L. 



In the third section, which includes two very distinct subdivisions, 

 the entire sole is bald from the toes to the heel. One of the sub- 

 divisions has long, slender, and nearly free toes ; anal pouches of 

 greater or less depth ; and hair of a peculiarly harsh character and 

 grizzled appearance : this includes the genera Herpestes and Uy- 

 zcvna, and probably also Crossarchus and Atilax; but as Mr. Gray 

 had not seen the two latter, he could not speak confidently with 

 respect to them. Crossarchus and Ryzcena differ in having one false 

 molar tooth less than the other genera. The remaining subdivision 

 has the toes short, and united by a membrane as far as the base of 

 the claws; it has no anal pouch, but in place of that organ a bald 

 secreting fold over the sheath of the penis ; and its fur is rather rigid 

 with a woolly undercoat. In most cases the tail has the faculty of 

 rolling itself up spirally from the tip, from which circumstance M. 

 F. Cuvier deduced the generic name o( Paradoxurus applied by him 

 to the animals of this subdivision. One species, the Bcniurong of 

 Major Farquhar, has since been separated by M. Valenciennes under 

 the generic name of Ictides. 



The teeth of the genus Paradoxurus agree in number and struc- 

 ture with those of J'iverra, Genetta, and Herpestes, but differ in the 

 form of the cheek-tooth and tubercular molars, which in both jaws 

 are shorter, broader, and more bluntly tubercular, indicating more 

 frugivorous habits. In their examination, not only in this genus but 

 in the whole order, it is necessary to observe the change that takes 

 place both in their distribution and form on the shedding of the milk- 

 teeth, which are widely different from those by which they are suc- 

 ceeded. In the young of Paradoxurus there are in the upper jaw 

 only four molars on each side, viz. two false molars, one cheek-tooth, 

 and one tubercular; while the adult animal has one additional false 

 molar, and a second tubercular, the third false molar taking the 

 place of the cheek-tooth, and the check-tooth that occupied by the 



