MUNGOOSES. 



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either side of each jaw ; such species being found only in Africa. It in ay be added 

 that in these species there is always a distinct gap between the tusk or canine 

 tooth and the premolar corresponding with the second in those species having four 

 of these teeth. There occur, however, in Africa two small mungooses with only 

 three premolar teeth, of which the most anterior is placed close up to the tusk, so 

 that there is no gap in the series. These species are also distinguished from their 

 African relatives by their proportionately shorter tails, of which the length is less 

 than that of the body alone. Hence these two animals have been referred to a 

 distinct genus Helogale. Of the two species, the one named H. parvula is an 

 inhabitant of Natal, and is of a greyish-brown colour ; while the other H. undulata 



:' '': -'': 



THE CRAB-EATING MUNGOOSE ( nat. size). 



hails from East Africa, in the Mozambique district, and has the hair of a grizzled 

 rufous tint. Both have naked soles to the hind-feet. 



THE FOUR-TOED MUNGOOSES. 

 Genera Cynictis and Bdeogale. 



In describing the typical mungooses it was mentioned that the first toes in 

 both fore and hind-feet are of extremely small size. It might have been added that 

 this small size of the first toe is more marked in the hind than in the fore-feet, and 

 that in both limbs these digits appear to be of no functional use. We have now 

 to mention three African mungooses in which this small first toe disappears either 

 in the hind-limb alone or in both hind and fore-limbs. The whole of these species 



