1882.] AFRICAN MUNGOOSES. 71 



var. ochraceus ; but without seeing a specimen I cannot be certain 

 on this point. 



In Temminck's paper mentioned above, very nearly the same con- 

 clusions are come to with regard to these small Herpestce with black 

 tail-tips. I am, liowever, disposed to demur to his statement that 

 all the diiferences betvteen what are here considered varieties are 

 merely owing to seasonal change ; for it would be obviously impro- 

 bable that all the Abyssinian specimens known should have been 

 taken in the winter, and nine tenths of the West- and South-African 

 specimens in the summer. No doubt, however, a certain amount of 

 change does take place according to season ; but we cannot deter- 

 mine the amount of this until there are considerable series of dated 

 specimens available for examination. 



4. Herpestes sanguineus. 

 *H. sanguineus, Riipp. N. Wirb. Abyss, p. 27, pi. viii. fig. 1 (1835). 

 Hab. S. Egypt (Kordofan). 



(Types, Frankfort iMuseum.) Form and size much as in H. gra- 

 cilis. Fur short and rather harsh. General colour very pale fawn. 

 Hairs annulated with brown and yellowish white, the latter predo- 

 minating, and so arranged that there is an appearance of cross 

 stripes on the posterior half of the back. Tail with longer hairs, 

 which are annulated with black and white, though the black is not 

 at all conspicuous. Tail-tip yellowish red, sharply separated from 

 the rest. Feet nearly white. 



Dimensions. 



Head 



and body. Tail. Hind foot. 



a. KoxAof an {Biippell) .... 12*2 11-9 2-1 



h. „ „ .... 12-0 12-2 — 



c. „ „ .... 11-9 10-8 1-9 



Skull. 



Palate- Palate- Inc. to 



Length. Breadth. length. breadth. cross line. 



a. .. 2-35 1-15 1-18 073 0-82 



Tiiis species, hitherto only found in Kordofan, is evidently a 

 desert form, having the sandy coloration usually found in animals 

 inliabiting sandy plains. Dr. RUppell seems to have found it 

 numerous, as he brought home five or six specimens. He states 

 that it lives in holes in the ground, among bushes, and that, though 

 fierce when wild, it is yet easily tamable. Herr von Heuglin also 

 found it, though not commonly, in the same region. 



Dr. Riippell states that there are in //. sanguineus only 22 caudal 

 vertebrse, while there are 2.5 in //. gracilis and 28 in //. ichneumon. 

 Not having any material on which to found similar observations, I 

 cannot say whether these numbers are constant or not ; but a consi- 



