80 MR. o. THOMAS ON THE [Jan. 3, 



Ukull. Basi- 



Palate- Palate- luc. to cranial 

 Length. Breadth, length, breadth, cross line. axis. 



a. Natal 1-82 MS '90 -63 '61 -65 



b. „ .. -86 -61 -60 — 



Of this species, the smallest of all the Mungooses, Dr. Suudevall 

 obtained iu the typical series a considerable number of specimens; 

 but, curiously enough, no others have come to any of the Museums 

 that I have seen, except specimen b measured above, which was ob- 

 tained from Natal through a dealer. However, Dr. Suudevall dis- 

 tributed specimens so freely, that there are some of his original speci- 

 meuij of this species in most of the larger European Museums. 



2. Helogale undulata. 



*Herpestes undidatus, Peters, Reise n. Mossambique, p. 114, Taf. 

 XXV. (animal and skull) (1852). 



Hab. East Africa (Mozambique, Peters: Taita, Hildebrandi). 



Size, compared with that of most HerpestcB, small, though slightly 

 larger than Helogale imrvida. Form slender. Tail rather shorter 

 than the body without the head. General colour grizzled rufous, 

 the longer hairs annulated with black and white ; underfur for basal 

 portion grey, terminal portion red. Neck, belly, and legs rich 

 rufous, with less black grizzling. Tail coloured like back, no black tip. 



Skull as in //. parvidu, but larger, and the last molar smaller in 

 proportion ; dental percentage about 70. 



Dimensions. 



Head aud body. Tail. Hind foot. 



ft. Type, Mozambique (Pe^«??'«) 9"4 G"7 l'o6 



b. Taita {Hildebnuidt). . O'Q (i' I 1-48 



SkuU. Palate- Palate- Inc. to 



Length. Breadth, length, breadth, cross line. 

 «. Taita 2-0 1-24 -.09 -68 -65 



This sj)ecies may be readily distinguished from H.parvida by its 

 larger size and its bright rufous belly and underside of neck, these 

 parts in H.parvida being a dull grizzled brown. I only know of the 

 two specimens of which the dimensions are given above ; so that I 

 am not in a position to state what tlie full range of this form is. 



Dr. Peters states that H. undidata is particularly fond of eggs, 

 whicli it breaks by throwing them with its fore legs through its hind 

 ones against a wall. 



"D" 



Molars of Helogale. 



H.parvula. -pMK W. Percentage. 



a 5-0 4-0 80 



b 0-2 4-1 79 



H. undulata, 



a .i-6 4-0 71 



