552 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE VIVERRID&, [Nov. 8 
Herpestes loempo, Temm. Esq. Zool. 93, 1853. 
H. mutgigella, Verreaux, MS. (not Riippell). 
Arompo, Bosman, Guinea, 33. f. 8. 
In the specimen not in complete fur the ochraceous undercoat 
is seen through the longer hairs, 
Hab. Guinea, near the graves. (Called “‘ Loempo” by a negro 
at Guinea.) 
This species has the toes and other parts of the body, and especially 
the form of the tail, of Ichneumon, but the normal teeth of Herpestes 
(Temm. 94). 
The skull is long, ventricose; face and forehead flat, shelving 
gradually to the back of the orbit, and then shelving in a straight 
line towards the hinder part of the head. The cavities for the tem- 
poral muscles are very large, and they extend in front, and meet 
together on the crown at aline rather in front of the hinder edge of 
the orbit. The orbits are large, the hinder edge entire ; the hinder 
part of the skull is broad ; the hinder part of the palate between the 
temporal muscles is narrow and elongate, the hinder opening being 
nearer the hinder than the front edge of the temporal fossee. The 
hinder grinders are slender; the crown of the flesh-tooth is trian- 
gular, the front side being the shortest, with the inner tubercle on 
the straight front edge. 
12. HERPESTES PLUTO. B.M. 
Black ; sides of the head, neck, and front of the body pale brownish, 
with broad white subterminal bands on the ends of the hairs; hairs 
harsh ; tail black, grey at the base, hairs not ringed at the end; front 
of thighs, legs, and feet black. 
Herpestes pluto, Temm. Esq. Zool. 93, 1853. 
Hab. Guinea (Temminck); West Coast of Africa (Gerrard), 
adult ; ? East Africa (Verreaux). 
The adult specimens from Gerrard and Verreaux are rather paler 
than the younger one from Leyden; length of head and body 
20 inches, tail 14 inches. Younger from Guinea, length of body 
and head 16 inches, tail 11 inches. They have also a slight indica- 
tion of a crest of longer black hairs on the back of the neck. 
Skuil short, broad ; nose shelving; forehead convex ; crown flat ; 
orbits complete. False grinders 3/3 ; first conical, blunt ; the second 
compressed ; the third trigonal, with a distinct internal and hinder 
tubercle. Flesh-tooth rather longer than wide on the front edge ; 
the inner tubercle on front edge, broad, rounded. Tubercular grinders 
transverse ; the front about twice as wide as long, rounded on the 
inner edge; the second smaller, rather oblong, with two well-marked 
tubercles, rather narrower and more acute on the hinder part of the 
inner edge. 
Skull—length 33 inches ; width at zygoma 2,1; inches, of brain- 
cavity 14 inch. 
** Like the H. loempo; the head and muzzle longer ; tail shorter, 
covered with hairs like those of the body; fur of body, limbs, and 
