CAPE POLECAT. 



79 



broad, and the muzzle long and sharp, while the ears are very small and rounded. 

 The tail is comparatively long and bushy, and about three-quarters the length of 

 the head and body ; and the whole of the fur is relatively long and thick. The 

 ground-colour of the fur is a glossy-black, marked with a variable number of 

 white stripes and spots. Frequently, as in our illustration, there is a white spot 

 between the eyes, and another over each of the latter ; but sometimes all the three 



THE CAPE POLECAT ( Uat. size). 



are united. The hinder-part of the head is frequently white, and from this white 

 area there are given off pure white stripes (separated by three narrow black ones), 

 which unite near the tail ; the upper part of the latter being also mostly white. 

 In other cases, however, the whole of the hinder-parts of the head, the neck, and the 

 anterior portion of the back are white. 



The Cape polecat ranges from the Cape to Senegal ; but in Sennaar 

 and Egypt it is replaced by another nearly-allied species (/. frenata). 



Distribution. 



