THE RIMAU-DAHAN. 177 



and angular, on the sides and flanks. In alt, the 

 posterior margin has uniformly a deep velvet black 

 tint, and consists of a curved or irregularly waving 

 line. The marks, on the shoulders and on the sides, 

 are separated by narrow grey interstices, affording a 

 tessellated appearance to the covering. But no uni- 

 form or determinate character prevails on the sur- 

 face, and in different individuals a slight diversity 

 appears to exist. I shall, however, describe them 

 from the specimen before me. Here the most con- 

 spicuous mark is placed on the shoulders, and ex- 

 tends from the longitudinal lines which pass along 

 the spine, to the anterior extremities : it is oblong 

 and broad above ; about the middle, the posterior 

 margin is contracted by a curve, and it is regularly 

 rounded at its lower extremity ; the anterior border 

 is perfectly regular and transverse, but without any 

 defined margin. Before this principal mark, another 

 discoloration extends from the neck to the anterior 

 portion of the fore-thighs : this is interrupted in the 

 middle by several dots, from which the borders pro- 

 ceed in a waving direction ; a third mark, less dis- 

 tinctly defined, is placed below the principal mark 

 on the shoulders. On the sides of the body, from 

 the shoulders to the rump, the marks are interrupt- 

 ed, and have a partially oblique disposition, but a 

 distribution into three principal compartments can 

 generally be traced: these, however, vary in diffe- 

 rent individuals. They are in all cases separated by 

 transverse streaks, into smaller angular or rounded 



M 



