MUNGOOSES. 473 
either side of each jaw; such species being found only in Africa. It may 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. wndulata 
THE CRAB-EATING MUNGOOSE (% nat. size). 
hails from East Africa, in the Mozambique district, and has the hair of a grizzled 
rufous tint. Beth 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 im 
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 
