VIVEERA. 99 



first and second premolars are close together, in the latter widely 

 separated. 



The area inhabited by V. civettina is separated from that occu- 

 pied by V. zibetha by a broad tract of country, there being no civet 

 known to occur in the Central Provinces, Deccan, or Carnatic. It 

 is therefore probable that V. civettina is a distinct species. The 

 following account of its distribution is from Jerdon : 



" The Malabar civet-cat is found throughout the Malabar coast, 

 from the latitude of Honore (Honawar) at all events to Cape 

 Comorin, and very possibly it extends further north. It inhabits 

 the forests and the richly wooded low land chiefly, but is occasionally 

 found on the elevated forest-tracts of Wynaad, Coorg,&c. It is very 

 abundant in Travancore, whence I have had many specimens. It is 

 not recorded from Ceylon, but most probably will be found there. 

 I have procured it close to my own house at Tellicherry, and seen 

 specimens from the vicinity of Honore. I never obtained it from 

 the Eastern Ghats nor from Central India. It is stated by the 

 natives to be very destructive to poultry." 



47. Viverra megaspila. The Burmese Civet. 



Viverra megaspila, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxxi, p. 331 (1862) ; id. P. Z. S. 



1864, p. 484 ; Giiniher, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 428, pi. xxxvii. 

 Viverra tangalunga, Cantor, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 197, nee Gray. 



Kyoung-myeny, Burm. ; Musang-jebat, Malay. 



Tail less than half the length of the head and body, tapering. 

 A band of erectile black hairs along the back, sometimes but not 

 always less developed than in V. zibetha. 



Bony palate extending nearly half an inch behind a line joining 

 the last upper molars ; termination very concave. The teeth 

 larger and broader than in V. zibetha hinder upper molar oval, 

 not much broader than long ; hinder lower molar very little longer 

 than broad, and larger than that in V. zibetha. 



Colour. Grey, sometimes with a yellowish or brownish tinge (the 

 figure in P. Z. S. is too brown), scarcely paler below ; underfur 

 pale brown to whitish, the tips of the longer hairs grey or black. 

 A black line down the back from the shoulders continued down 

 the tail, which is ringed with dark brown or black ; the proximal 

 rings about the same breadth as the whitish interspaces, and 

 (except sometimes the first) extending round the tail. Terminal 

 portion of tail for a varying distance (sometimes half the length) 

 black. Sides with spots, usually distinct, larger than in V. zibetha 

 or V. tangalunga (about three quarters of an inch in diameter), 

 tending to form transverse bands on the sides and longitudinal 

 on the rump. Feet brown. Head grey; base of ear behind a 

 little darker ; hind neck dusky ; chin brown ; neck white in front 

 and on sides, with two or three black gorgets, the anterior just 

 behind the brown chin often wanting, the second well marked 



H2 



