chap, ix.] TEETH : HERPESTES. 229 



also as a variation ; and lastly H. galera having p^ normally but shew- 



3 4 4 4 



ing a case of p ^- and another of p j — h . Lastly, all specimens of 



Crossarchus seen had p\. 



Of species commonly having p\ , 91 such skulls and the following cases of absence 

 of p l were seen : 



295. H - ichneumon, 9 normals : pi absent both sides. B. M. ; on left, C. M., 

 965, D. H. griseus, 21 normals : pi absent on right, two cases. B. M., 

 145, k and m. H. smithii, 6 normals : p"i absent both sides. B. M., 979, b ; on 

 left side, B. M. 84. 6. 3. 13. 



296. H. gracilis on the contrary shewed p% in 8 specimens, pi present both sides 

 once, B. M., 789, a ; left pi absent once. B. M., 789, b. 



H. pulverulentus : p\ in 2 specimens. 

 ,*97. H. galera : pf in 7 skulls, one being quite young: p 1 is present in all four places, 

 in one young skull making p$, B. M., 148, d; pi and P^ both present and well 

 developed on right side in old skull. On the left there is ample room for them. B. 

 M., 79, a, p\ present on both sides and alveolus for pi on right. B. IS.., 148, I. 

 Crossarchus : 13 skulls assigned to 4 species, all hadpf. 



Case of two Anterior Premolars. 



[98. H. microcephalus : on right side two teeth like p^, crowded 



together, others normal. Leyd. M. Compare Rhinogale melleri (an 



5 5 



African Mungoose) of which only known skull (in B. M.) hasp j— 7- 



The appearance here is that a tooth unlike and rather larger than p^ 

 stands in front of it on each side (see Thomas, I.e., pp. 62 and 84). 



Supernumerary Large Premolars. 



Taken together the two following cases are important as illustrating 

 the difficulty of drawing any sharp distinction between cases of dupli- 

 cates of particular teeth and cases of extra teeth in series. They 

 should be read in connexion with the cases of F. domestica (No. 286), 

 HeJictis orientalis (No. 312), Vison horsfieldii (No. 311), Ommatophoca 

 rossii (No. 320), Plioca grcenlandica (No. 324), &c. 

 4 99. Herpestes gracilis: supernumerary tooth in right lower jaw 

 (Fig. 50). On comparing the teeth of this specimen with those of 





A 



Fig. 50. Right lower jaw of Herpestes gracilis, No. 299. View from labial side ; 

 ground-plan of the jaw ; separate view of the tooth + . C, the canine. 



other Herpestes in which p is present it is quite certain that no tooth 

 in the abnormal jaw corresponds with p 1 . The foremost of its pre- 

 molars on both sides clearly has the form of p*. The next teeth have 

 the correct form of pi. In the left lower jaw the next tooth is p*; but 



