354 Ml. m. I. Pocock on some 



snrfaop is nieiliaiily nofclied ami a])parently lightly biconvex 

 in (iitli/icfi's and Oalidiu, but without a notch and straight 

 or lightly convex from side to side in Xlnngoti'ctis. 



Tiie pinna of the ear (PI. XV. fig. 4) is larger than in most 

 mongooses, except Ct/nictis, but smaller on the average than 

 that of the Viverrines and Paradoxurines. It has a well- 

 developed bursa (b.), of which tiie anterior and posterior flaps 

 arise together from the margin of the piinia above, giving this 

 margin the appearance of bifurcation. The e Ige of the ante- 

 rior Hap is not notched or markedly concave. The two anterior 

 basal ridges {ae., ai.) are well developed, the external or tragus- 

 bearing ridge extending upwards nearly to the anterior base of 

 the supratragus or plica principalis (.s-.),and the internal sweeps 

 across beneath the supratragus somewhat as in the mongooses, 

 without sloping so obliquely downwards as in the Viverrines 

 and Paradoxurines; but the supratragus has no thickening. 

 The ridge of the antitragus (pe.) rises from the inferior orifice 

 of the meatus, but there is no apparent groove or ridge on 

 its outer surface. The possession of a well-developed bursa 

 distinguishes the ear of the Galidictinse from that of the 

 mongooses, and in none of the latter is the tragus-bearing 

 antero-external ridge so well developed.- Nevertheless, in the 

 simpler structure of the ridges, the higher position and lesser 

 downward inclination of the antero-internal ridge, and the 

 absence of lobate thickening on the antitragus, the ear recalls 

 that of the mongooses. 



The Feet. — So far as I am aware, the feet of Galidlctis have 

 never been examinetl on fresh material and never figured. 

 Those of Galidia, as figured by Miss Carlsson, show some 

 interesting points, which I have verified as far as possible on 

 available skins. The fore foot (PI. XIV. fig. 2) is naked 

 beneath from the toes back to and including the region o£ 

 the carpal pads. The digits are webbed up to the proximal 

 end of the digital pads, and the edges of the web are not dee[)ly 

 emarginate. The claws are of moderate length, not retractile, 

 unguarded by skin lobes, and unprotected basally by thick- 

 growing hair. Tiie poUex, although rather short, is not set 

 high uj), but projects nearly in a line with the middle of the 

 plantar pad, which is typically trilobed and has a large pollical 

 lobe barely in contact with its internal lateral lobe. The 

 elements of two carpal pads are present, and these, taken 

 together, seem to be at least equal to the plantar pad in area. 

 Tlie outer, on the ulnar side, is very large and is defined from 

 the inner, which is in contact throughout its width with the 

 pollical element of the plantar pad, by a deep notch jutting 



