VIVERRID.-E 



537 



Skull shorter 



Kemains of the small H. nipalensis occur in the cavern-deposits 

 of Madras. Viverroids from the Miocene and Upper Eocene of 

 Europe, which agree with Herpestes in the presence of an inner 

 tubercle to the third upper premolar and of a hinder cusp to the 

 fourth lower premolar, have been referred to the existing genus. 

 The species which have been separated generically under the three 

 following names are very closely allied to Herpestes. 



Helogale, 1 premolars , without diastema between first and 

 second ; soles of feet completely naked. Contains two small 

 South-African species, H. parvula and H. undulata. 



Bdeogale 2 contains also two small Ichneumon-like animals, 11. 

 crasskauda and puisa, differing from Herpestes proper in having only 

 four toes on each foot, both pollex and hallux being absent. The 

 orbit is nearly complete, the tail of moderate length and rather 

 bushy. 



Cynictis. 3 Pollex present, but hallux absent, 

 and broader than in Herpestes, rather con- 

 tracted, behind the orbits, which are large 

 and complete behind. Face short. An- 

 terior chamber of the auditory bulla very 

 large. Front claws elongated. C. peni- 

 cillata, from South Africa. The caecum 

 (Fig. 241) of this genus is longer than in 

 any other member of the family. 



All the foregoing Herpestines have 

 the nose short, with its under surface 

 flat, bald, and with a median longitudinal 

 groove. The remaining forms have the 

 nose more or less produced, with its under 

 side convex, and a space between the 

 nostrils and the upper lip covered with 

 close adpressed hairs, and without any 

 median groove. 



Rhinogale* Toes 5-5. Claws of fore 

 feet short, compressed, acute. Under sur- 

 face of tarsus hairy. Palate flat. Founded on a single specimen 

 from East Africa, R. melleri. 



Crossarchus. 5 Dentition: i f, c \, p |, m --; total 36. Snout 

 elongated. Toes 5-5. Claws on fore feet long and curved. 

 Hallux very short. Under surface of tarsus naked. Tail shorter 

 than the body, tapering. Palate flat. Fur harsh. Species : C. 



FIG. 241. Csecum of Cynictis 

 penicillata. (From Mivart, Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 508.) 



1 Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 308. 

 2 Peters, Mith. Ges. Nat. Freunde Berlin, 19th November 1850. 



3 Ogilby, Proc. Zool Soc. 1833, p. 48. 



4 Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 573. 



5 F. Cuvier, Hist. Nat. des Mammifires, No. 199 (1825). 



