114 YlVERr.ID.E. 



baffled in their endeavour to capture an animal, w liich he suggests 

 maj have been this species, at liussellkonda in the Nortliern Circars, 

 by the singularly fetid fluid discharged by the creature. It is 

 very possible, however, that the common palm-civet may have the 

 same power as P. grayi of making itself obnoxious. 



The tail was coiled, as it sometimes is in the common ludian 

 palm-civet, in the original type of this species, a caged speciujen. 



Nearly allied to P. yrayi is a still larger form, P. hucoinijitax, 

 reddish brown in colour, with the head, except on the muzzle, 

 paler. This is found in Malacca and the MaJay Archipelago, and 

 may possibly occur in Tenasserim *. P. rnhidus, Blyth, J. A. tS. B. 

 xxvii, p. 275, is probaljly a variety of the same species. 



Another form, considerably smaller than P. (jrayi, inhabits 

 China, and was named P. larvata from the distinct head-mai'kings. 

 Both these species have the same prolonged bony palate as P. 

 (/rayi, and all three externally resemble each other by their con- 

 spicuous white vibrissae. By Gray they were distinguished as a 

 genus, which he called Pm/uma. 



The nature and affinities of the animal called Paradoxurvs 

 laniger (As. lies. xix. p. 79) by Hodgson are as obscure as its habitat. 

 It is not quite certain that the only skin known, which is without a 

 skull and in very indifferent condition, belongs to this genus ; and 

 it is questionable whether this specimen was obtained within the 

 limits accepted in the present work. The follo\^ing brief descrip- 

 tion may enable the form to be recognized if rediscovered. The 

 fur consists of very thick \x oolly haii', without longer piles. The 

 tail is thick at the base and tapers rapidly, it is but little more 

 than half the length of the head and body. Tlie soles of tl;e feet 

 are naked, but the toe-pads are almost surrounded b}^ hair. There 

 is a naked area in front of the anus. The colour is rather light 

 rufescent bro\^'n (or greyish fawn), the hair grey at the base, 

 light brown towards the tips, no black tips anywhere ; the tail 

 nearly the same colour throughout. The head has lost almost all 

 its hairs. This skin Mas said to be from Tiugri, Tibet, and 

 evidently belonged to an animal inhabiting a cold climate (see 

 P.Z.S. 1885, p. 807). 



Genus AKCTOGALE, Peters, 18G4. 



All the teeth, except the canines, very small ; those in the molar 

 series scarcely or not in contact. The upper sectorial much 

 rounded, the inner lobe median in position, not anterior. Palate 

 frequently convex longitudinally between the upper sectorial 

 teeth, the posterior portion sloping upward, and greatly pro- 

 duced above the posterior iiares, the sides of which are arclu'd 

 towards each other ; mesopterygoid fossa excessively narrow, 

 less tlian half the breadth of the palate between the upper sectorial 

 teeth. No pterygoid fossa. 



- * There was in 1877 a specimen in the Zoological Gardens, Calcutta, pre- 

 sented by Mr. Eivers Tiioiiipson, and said to have been brou^dit frtiiu llie 

 Karen Hills, Buriiiii. 



