1882.] AFRICAN MUNGOOSES. (i3 



B, No groo\e IVom nose to iipptr lip. 

 IV. Toes 5—5. 



c. Premolars ff- '. Palate concave. Iliud soksliairv V. Riii.nociale. 



/. Premolars f -. Palate flat. Hind soles bald VI. CitossARCiiis. 



V. Toes 4 -4. 



g. Premolars .j. Hind .soles bald VII. Suricat.v. 



I. Hkrpes-tes. Typp- 



"Mangusfa, Oliv."", Illig., Desm., Fiscli., &c. . . ? 



Ichneumon, Laccp. iNIein. de I'lnst. iii. p. 492 

 (1801) (nee Linn. S. N. i. p. 930, 1706) //. ichneumon. 



Herpestes, Illig. Prodr. Syst. Mamui. p. 135 

 (1811) H. ichneumon. 



Atilax, F. Cuv. Hist. Nat. ]\Iamm. iii. livr. 

 54 (1826) //. (jalei-a. 



M<mgos,Qg\\hy, P. Z. S. 1835, p. 103 (1835). . //. vitticoUis. 



Urva, Hodss. Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vi. p. 5GU 

 (1837) .. .." fl- vrva. 



Mesobema, Hodgs. Journ. As. Soc. Beiig. x. 

 p. 910 (1841) //. urm. 



Osmctectis, Gray, Ann. & Mag. N. H. x. p. 260 

 (1 842) .' II. vrva. 



Caloffale, Gray, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 560 (1864) . . H. nepalensis. 



Galerella, Gray, t. cit. p. 564 (1864) H. (jracilis. 



Culictis, Gray, t. cit. p. 565 (1864) //. smifhii. 



Tceniocjale, Gray, t. cit. p. 569 (1864) //. vitticoIUs. 



Onijchogcde, Gray, t. cit. p. 570 (1864). . . . . . II. maccarthice. 



Toes 5—5. Teeth, 1. 1 , C. J, P.M. *, M. !!, x 2 = 40. Underside 

 of tarsus generally naked. Fur of two kinds, the longer usually annu- 

 lated, so as to give the animal a grizzled apjjearance. Tail long, A'arying 

 from about half to nearly equal the length of the head and body 

 togetlier. First toes on both fore and hind feet very small, probably 

 nearly functionless. Claws of medium strength. 



Range. S. Europe, all Africa, Asia Minor, Persia, and nearly the 

 whole of the Oriental zoological region. 



To this, the typical genus, belong all the Indian and nearly half 

 of the African species. There is a great variation in size and colour 

 among its various members ; but the cranial characters are very iairly 



' In the only known specimen, very possibly not constant. 



^ In all the specimons seen; bnt a diastema is generally present, so that 

 there is probably a minute first premolar in immature individuals. 



^ This name is frequently quoted by the early authors as having been given 

 byOlivier ; but I cannot find that it was ever used by him. In fact, in his 'Voyage 

 dans I'Empire Ottoman, I'Egypte et la Perse,' vol. iii. p. 100 (1804), he uses the 

 Linnean term Vircrra ichnciamn. Even if, however, the name Mangusfa was 

 ever characterized before 1811, I think we 6ho\dd be justified in ignoring it, as 

 it is altogether barbarous, and lUiger's name has received universal acceptance, 

 Agassiz (Nomencl. Zool. i. p. 19) cites Mangiishi as having been described by 

 Baron Cuvier iu his 'Tableau Elementaire,' 17'J7 ; but there is no mention of the 

 genus in that work. 



