HERPESTES VITTICOLLIS. 137 



Calcutta. It appears nearly allied to H. Javanicus. Its distribution is 

 more local than that of any other of the Indian species, no record of its 

 occurring elsewhere existing ; Waterhouse's type specimen also came 

 from the same locality. It probably will eventually be found in other 

 elevated hill regions of Southern India. 



The next species has been, with some others, separated as a sub- 



r> n 

 genus, Mungos, having the molars 1^-, and the bony orbital ring 



always complete. It approximates to Urva. 



133. Herpestes vitticollis. 



BENNETT. BLYTH, Cat. 159. ELLIOT, Cat. 22, with figure. 



THE STRIPE-NECKED MUNGOOS. 



Descr. Of a grizzled gray colour, more or less tinged with rusty 

 reddish, especially on the hinder part of the body and tail; a dark 

 stripe from the ear to the shoulder ; tail rufous-black at the tip. 



Length of one killed on the Neelgherries, the head and body 21 

 inches ; tail with the hair 15 ; weight 6 Ib. 10 oz. 



This fine species of mungoos is found throughout all the forests of the 

 "Western Ghats, from near Dharwar to Cape Comorin. It is rare in the 

 northern parts, and most abundant in Travancore. It have killed it on 

 the Neelgherries, in Wynaad, and seen specimens from various parts of 

 Malabar. From its large size this must be a very destructive animal to 

 game and the smaller quadrupeds. The Malayan region, besides those 

 common to India, viz., H. malaccensis and II. nipalensis, has If. java- 

 nicus and H. brachyurus, peculiar to that district ; and //. exilis is 

 recorded, Zool. de la Bonite, from some of the islands. There are many 

 species from Africa, and one extends into Spain. 



Gen. URVA, Hodgson. 

 Syn. Mesobema, Hodgson. 



Char. Teeth as in Herpestes, but blunter ; structure intermediate to 

 that genus and Gulo ;' snout elongate, acute, mobile ; hands and feet 

 large ; soles nude ; nails subequal ; digits connected by large crescentic 

 membranes ; tail long, cylindric ; habit sub- vermiform. 



This genus contains only one species. 



