PABADOXUBUS. 107 



narrow, but varying in length. Upper sectorial tooth narrow, the 

 inner lobe small and at the distal extremity of the tooth ; the 



Fig. 26. Half palate of Paradoxurus niger. (P. Z. S. 1885, p. 793.) 



inner margin of the tooth between the inner and hinder lobe 

 distinctly concave. 



Colour. Blackish grey to brownish grey. The fur in general 

 long, and with long ragged coarse black tips ; but these are, of 

 course, much more developed in the cold season. Underfur, when 

 present, ashy or brownish ; the longer hairs, beyond the underfur, 

 pale grey with long black tips. As a rule there are no stripes on 

 the back, but indistinct dark bands and rows of spots are sometimes 

 seen, especially in young specimens. Feet and the greater part of 

 the legs, with the terminal portion (frequently more than half) of 

 the tail, black. The tip of the tail is sometimes white, and indi- 

 viduals with the feet or other parts of the body white are occa- 

 sionally found. Head-markings variable ; face generally black or 

 blackish, with a distinct white or grey spot below the eye, another 

 (generally) on each side of the nose amongst the vibrissae, and 

 often another above the eye. There is not, however, in this spe- 

 cies, as usually there is in the next, a distinct whitish band across 

 the forehead. Vibrissae black ; occasionally, but rarely, a few of 

 the lower are whitish or white towards the base. 



Dimensions. Males are larger than females. A male measured : 

 head and body 22-5 inches, tail 19-5 ; a female 20 and 17'5. In 

 another female both were about 18 inches long. An adult female 

 skull measures 3-9 inches in basal length, 2-3 broad; a male 4-15 

 by 2'35 ; another, very large (from Nepal), 4-4 by 2'55. 



Distribution. Throughout the peninsula of India, from the foot 

 of the Himalayas, and Ceylon, wherever there are trees ; equally 

 common in the wildest forest and about human habitations. It is 



