277 



CYNICTIS. 



CYNODOK 



Of these last the first three are spurious, the fourth is the carnassier, 

 and the rest are tuberculated. Feet, digitigrade ; toes, 5-4, with long 

 falcular claws adapted for digging. Tail long, bushy. 



" This system of dentition," says Mr. Ogilby, " is, in most respects, 

 extremely similar to that which is common to the Viveme in general, 

 and particularly to the genus Herpeites, from which the Cynictii differs 

 principally in the absence of the rudimentary false molar of the lower 

 jaw, in having that of the upper jaw in contact with the canine, and 

 in a few other circumstances of very minor importance when compared 

 with the general character of the organisation. From the Syzcena or 

 Suricate, on the other hand, the dental system of Cynictis differs in 

 the presence of the superior rudimentary false molar, being thus 

 directly intermediate in point of dentition between this genus and the 

 Herpettei ; and it is not a little singular that it should bear precisely 

 the same relation to both these genera in the form and number of its 

 toes. The Herpettet have rudimentary false molars both in the upper 

 and under jaws, and five toes both before and behind; the Cynictis 

 has rudimentary false molars only in the upper jaw, five toes on the 

 fore and only four on the hind feet ; the Ryzctna has no rudimentary 

 false molars in either jaw, and four toes only, as well on the anterior 

 as on the posterior extremities. These traits of zoological character 

 strongly point out the 

 true natural relations of 

 all these animals, and 

 demonstrate the rela- 

 tive positions which 

 they occupy in the 

 system of nature. With 

 the single exception of 

 the Prattles, there is no 

 other known genus of 

 the Viverra family 

 which possesses the 

 same number of toes 

 and complete digiti- 

 grade extremities which 

 form BO prominent a 

 character in the Cynic- 

 tit. Here however all 

 analogy ceases between 

 these two genera. It 

 is true that we are at 

 present ignorant of the 

 adult characters of the 

 dentition of the Pro- 

 telet ; when we become 

 better acquainted with 

 this important part of 

 its organisation we may 

 perhaps discover addi- 

 tional points of relation 

 between it and the 

 present genus; but in 

 all its most striking ex- 

 ternal characters it is 

 completely different, 

 and seems to occupy 

 an intermediate station 

 between the Dogs, the skul , of c , M;S _ 



Civets and the Hyanas. a< Km , mm above . &> profl , c of fte Mme . e< 



e half of cranium seen from below, allowing the posi. 

 characters the Cynictu t i on O f thc t^tt, ln tlle upper j aw . d> ha i f of the 



may be readily distin- lower jaw wen from above (from Mr. Ogilby'a 

 finished by its external figure), 

 form and appearance 



from all conterminous genera. It has a short head, contracted 

 suddenly in front of the eyes, and forming a small naked muzzle, 

 divided by a longitudinal furrow ; the ears are short and elliptical, 

 naked inside, and directed forwards ; the body long and slender ; the 

 tail bushy, and two-thirds of the length of the body, and the whole 

 external form and appearance not unlike that of a Ferret or 

 Ichneumon. The temporal fossa: are separated from the orbits by a 

 complete rim of bone." 



C. Steedmannii (Ogilby), named after Mr. Steedman, to whom 

 zoologists are indebted for a knowledge of the animal. It has the 

 following synonyms in the 'British Museum Catalogue' : The 

 Meerkat, C. Levaillantii, fferpettes penicMatut, Cuv. ; Ichneumon 

 albeiceni, J. Geoffrey ; C. pictva, A. Smith ; Manyuita Levaillantii, 

 A.* Smith; Meerkat, Barrow; Rattel, Swainson; C. Ogilbyii, A. 

 Smith. 



The length of the head from the muzzle to the root of the ear is 2J 

 inches ; length of the ear j( of an inch ; breadth of the ear 1 f inch ; 

 length of the body from the muzzle to the root of tail 1 foot 6 inches ; 

 length of the tail 1 foot ; height at the shoulder 7 inches ; height at 

 the croup 7 4 inches. Hair moderately fine in quality, much resembling 

 that of a dog, smooth and close on the body, long and bushy on the 

 tail. The general colour, ag well as the whole external appearance, 

 precisely that of a small Fox ; bright red over the entire body, head, 



and extremities ; deep and uniform on the back, but mixed with 

 silvery gray on the cheeks, neck, sides, and tail, arising from a mixture 

 of hairs tipt with gray, and dispersed through the fur of these parts. 

 The breast, belly, and legs unmixed red ; and the tail, which precisely 

 resembles the brush of a fox, covered with long bushy hairs of a sandy- 

 red colour at the roots, dark brown in the centre, and gray at the 

 points ; the last two inches at the tip of the tail uniform dirty white. 

 Hair of the body not annulated as in Jferpestes and the Suricate, and 

 altogether of a finer and more furry quality. External form and 

 appearance comparable with those of tho Ferret and Egyptian 

 Ichneumon, but probably standing higher on the legs as being more 

 completely digitigrade. 



Cyiiitlts StcedinanHii (Meerkat). 



It is a native of Uyteuhage, on the borders of Kafir-aria. (Ogilby.) 

 Mr. Ogilby thus concludes his observations on this interesting 

 animal : " In consulting the works of travellers through the colony 

 of the Cape of Good Hope I have been able to find but two notices 

 which seem clearly to refer to this animal ; one by Dr. Sparrmau, the 

 other by Mr. Barrow. The first of these authors, in the English 

 translation of his ' Travels," vol. ii. p. 184, has the following passage : 

 ' Two other small animals, which probably likewise belong to the 

 Virerra genus, I had only a hasty glimpse of in this colony. The one 

 we saw and gave chase to between the two Fish Rivers made its 

 escape from us however by running intp a hole underground, and 

 seemed to be somewhat less than a cat, though longer in proportion. 

 The colour of it was a bright red.' It is true that this passage records 

 no observation by which we can with certainty refer the animal to 

 which it alludes to the C. Steedmannii, but the size, colour, and 

 habitat are so perfectly similar in both cases, as to render their 

 identity extremely probable. In the following extract however from 

 Barrow's 'Travels,' vol. i. p. 185, the characters are fully reported : 

 ' Upon these parched plains [those of Camdebo, on the eastern con- 

 fines of the colony] are also found several species of a small quad- 

 ruped which burrows in the ground, and which is known to the 

 colonists under the general name of Meerkat. They are mostly of the 

 genus of animals to which zoologists have given the name of Viverra. 

 An eagle making a stoop at one of these, close to where we were 

 passing, missed his prey, and both fell a sacrifice, one to the gun, the 

 other to the dogs. Both the bird and quadruped appeared to be 

 undescribed species. . . . The Viverra was wholly of a bright 

 chestnut colour ; the tail shaded with black hairs, bushy, straight, 

 and white at the extremity ; ears, short and round ; on the fore feet 

 five and on the hind four toes ; the body and tail each one foot long." 

 " There can be no doubt," continues Mr. Ogilby, " of the animal to 

 which this description refers, a description more minute and accurate 

 than we generally find in the works of travellers. It agrees in every 

 point with the species which forms the subject of the present memoir, 

 except perhaps in the reported dimensions of the tail and body ; but 

 this difference most probably arises from the age or sex of the speci- 

 mens, or from the measures of Mr. Barrow being taken in a straight 

 line, whilst mine followed the different curvature of the head, neck, 

 and body. The name Meer-kat, by which it appears this animal is 

 known to the colonists, signifies a monkey, and is of very general 

 acceptation in South Africa, being applied indifferently to the present 

 species, tho Cape Herpestes, Ground Squirrels, and various other small 

 burrowing animals. Both the passages here quoted confirm the 

 burrowing habits of the 0. Steedmannii, which I had already inferred 

 from the form of tho claws." 



CYNIPS. [GALLS.] 



CYNOCEPHALUS. [BABOON.] 



CY'NODON, a genus of Grasses belonging to the tribe Chloridete. 

 It has a 1-flowered fingered spike, with a superior rudiment; the 

 {lumes nearly equal, patent; the paleaj equal, outer boat-shaped, 

 compressed, embracing the inner; the styles long, distinct; the 

 itigmas feathery, protruding below the summit of the floret. 



C. Dactyltm has 3-5 digitate spikes ; smooth palea;, the leaves downy 

 >eneath ; the scions prostrate. It is a native of England, on the shores 



