THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[FOURTH SERIES.] 

 No. 82. OCTOBER 1874. 



XXX. — On the Genera Paradoxurus, Platyschista, and 

 Paguma; and Notes on some Species lately received in 

 the British Museum. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S. &c. 



The Musk-Weasel of Pennant and its congeners are peculiar 

 among the Viverridai, and indeed among the Carnivora, for 

 having an elongate naked glandular fold of skin, the secre- 

 tion of which emits a musky odour, situated on the hinder 

 part of the abdomen, between the thighs. In the males it 

 occupies the whole underside of the sheath of the penis, 

 between the front of the scrotum (which is well developed 

 and placed close to the anus) and the exit of that organ; 

 in the females it is elongate, situated just in front of the 

 opening of the female organ, which is placed close to the 

 vent. This glandular structure is probably similar to the 

 glands of the civets at the sides of the anus, but is very dif- 

 ferently situated. 



Pallas described this animal under the name Viverra herma- 

 phrodita^ on account of the glandular fold. Frederic Cuvier, 

 who had a living specimen of this animal, does not notice this 

 peculiarity of the glandular sti-ucture of the abdomen, but 

 establishes a genus for it ; and, as the specimen which he de- 

 scribed had the tail abnormally twisted, he called it Para- 

 doxurus. Temminck truly observes that in form the tails of 

 these genera are " nullcmcnt caractdristiques, pas memc speci- 



Ann.&Mag.N,Hist. '^Qx.A. Volxiv. 17 



