102 



VIVEEKID^E. 



Genus PRIONODON, Horsfield, 1823. 

 Syn. Linsang, MUller, 1839. 



No dorsal mane. Form slender ; limbs short ; head and neck 

 long; ears short, rounded; muzzle pointed; tail very long, cylin- 

 drical. Claws perfectly retractile and sharp ; thumb and hallux 

 near the other digits. There is on the inner proximal side a sup- 

 plementary lobe to the central palmar and plantar pads, separated 



Fig. 24. Skull of Prionodon maculostts. 



from the other three lobes by hair in P. pardicolor, but not in the 

 other species. Metatarsus and metacarpus hairy beneath. No pre- 

 scrotal glands. Anal glands present. Fur soft. Female with four 

 teats two ventral anteriorly situated, and two inguinal. Colour 

 fulvous, with bold black spots or markings. Tail ringed. 



Dentition : i. |, c. ^j, pm. ^, m. ^ 5 * ne posterior upper 

 molar of Viverra wanting. The teeth are sharp and compressed. 



Of this genus two species are found within our area, a third is 

 Malay. AU appear to be carnivorous ; they may also, as suggested 

 by Hodgson, live partly upon insects. An allied genus, Poiana, is 

 the representative of Prionodon in Africa. 



/Synopsis of Indian and Burmese Species. 



A. Smaller ; head and body about 15 inches ; 



skull 2| to 2f ; back with longitudinal rows 



of large spots P. pardicolor, p. 103. 



B. Larger; head and body 18 to 20 inches, skull 3; 



back with broad transverse bands P. maculosus, p. 104. 



