1882.] 



AFRICAN MUNGOOSES. 



65 



Skull comparatively short and broad, the breadth nearly always more 

 than half the length (49-56 per cent.). Teeth slender and sharp, 

 the last molar less than half the length of the 4th premolar (42-48 

 per cent.). 



a. 

 h. 

 c. 

 d. 

 e. 



Dimensions. 



Head 

 and body^. 

 Spain (type of H. widdrinytoni) . . 20*0 



Egypt 21-0 



Palestine {Tristram) 21-0 



Andalusia (Lord Lilford) 21-0 



Morocco {Parsudaki) 20-5 



Skulls. 



Length^. 



a. Spain (Zool.Soo.) 4-05 



b. Egypt ; 3-85 



c. N. Africa 37 



For dimensions of teeth, see p. 78. 



' From tlie tip of the nose to the root of the tail, along the cun-es 

 otherwise stated, the measurements are taken from stufifcd specimens. 



Unless 



Without the claws. 



■* From the front of the prscmaxillix; to the most posteriorpoint of either of 

 the occipital condyles. 



' Greatest breadth across zygomata. 



■; From the front of the jira^masillie to the end of the bony palate. 

 Between the points at which P.M^ and M^ touch each other at tlieir outer 

 edges. 



" From the front of the praemasilhv to a point on the palate midway between 

 those mentioned nnder G. ^ ./ 



•< From the central point of the posterior edge of the basioccipital to the 

 anterior edge of the lower surface of the prasphenoid. 



It will be seen that, of these skull-measurements, Nos. 3, 4, and 5 are the same 

 as those adopted by Prof. Huxley in his recent paper on the Canida; (P Z S 

 lb80, p. 243). I do not, howerer, think that the measurement of "total length " 

 used by Inm is at all satisfactory, as the occipital spine, to the tip of which he 

 measures, varies gi-eatly with the age of the individual, and also between different 

 species— some forms developing a bony crest comparatively earlv, and others 

 even when quite old, having scarcely any at all. Tliese objections do not apply 

 to measuring from the posterior point of the condyles, which is a place where 

 no extra bony matter is added as the animal gets older. It is true tliat it would 

 seem to be somewhat unnatural to measure from a central azygous point to ■% 

 lateral symmetrical one ; but practically the resulting dimension is so nearly 

 exactly the same as measuring either to the upper part of the supraoccipital 

 not including the spine, or to the centre of the same bone just above ihe foramen 

 magnuiu, that this objection is overbalanced by the convenience of measuruiK 

 to the most posterior non-varying point of the skull, and a point which can 

 always be used with such extreme exactitude. 



The measurement given under 7 is a very useful one, as giving the true length 



Proc. Zool. Soc 1882, No. V. 5 



