154 ^I^i- 1^' I- Pocock on some of tJie 



bv five or four broad transverse stripes separated by pale, 

 usually narrower interspaces. The tail has two inferiorly 

 imperfect stripes at its base, the posterior of these being 

 indistinctly separated from the dark tint which pervades the 

 rest of the organ. 



Examination of the pattern in genets and linsangs leaves 

 little doubt as to the mode of origin of this pattern. Large 

 laterally placed spots, originally arranged in longitudinal 

 lines, have coalesced transversely with each other and with 

 the adjacent portion of the spinal stripe, and become isolated 

 into transverse bands by the suppression of the intervening 

 areas o£ the spinal stripe. This stripe is merely represented 

 by the median portion of the transverse stripes. On the 

 neck it has wholly disappeared, and the two large stripes of 

 this region correspond with the two similar stripes observable 

 in many A'^iverridse, especiallv in some species of Genetta. 

 This is the most specialized type of pattern met Avith in the 

 Yiverridse ; and it is interesting to note that it is more 

 easily derivable from the heavily blotched genettine pattern 

 than from that exhibited by any of the Paradoxurinse, in 

 which the pattern is for the most part partially or wholly 

 suppressed. 



Vibrissce and RJnncirinm. — The facial vibrissse are normal 

 in number of tufts. The mystacials are long, rigid, and 

 numerous ; the superciliaries and the two genal tufts on 

 each side consist of a few finer and shorter bristles, those of 

 the interramal tuft being still shorter and finer. 



Therhinarium (PI. YIII. figs. 1,2,3) is large and projecting, 

 deeply grooved in front and above, its upper edge, viewed 

 from the front, being biconvex, and viewed from above bian- 

 gular, the two angular prominences being separated b}' a Avide 

 angular emargination. The infranarial portion, seen from 

 the front, is deep from above downwards, and overlaps the 

 nostrils laterally to a considerable extent, its inferior edge 

 on each side of the middle line being transverse, Avith 

 rounded lateral angles. A groove extends obliquely down- 

 wards and inwards beneath the nostril towards the middle 

 line, and a deep transverse groove cuts oft' the wide supero- 

 lateral area which stretches backwards below the narial slits 

 on the upper surface of the rhinarium. These slits converge 

 somewhat posterioily, and the posterior border of the rhina- 

 rium is lightly emarginate. 



In its general features the rhinarium resembles that of 

 the Paradoxurine genera, Parudoxurus and ArctoyuHdia. 

 From its anterior aspect it is hardly distinguishable from 

 that of P. hirvatus, but the grooA'e defining the portion of it 



