1882.] AFRICAN MUNGOOSES. 81 



III. Bdeogale. Type. 



Bdeogale, Peters, Reise nach Mossamb., Saug, 

 p. 1 19 (1852) B. crassicauda. 



Range. East Africa (Mozambique, Zanzibar) ; 1 West Africa (Ga- 

 boon). 



Toes 4 — 4. Teeth and other characters as in Herpestes, with 

 especial resemblance to those of the subgenus Ichneumia (see above, 

 p. 77). In Dr. Peters's original description, he states that on the fore 

 feet there is only a minute rudiment of a first metacarpal, and on the 

 hind feet not even this trace of the normal first toe. In a spirit 

 specimen of B. puisa in our collection, I cannot even find the rudi- 

 mentary first metacarpal, so that this individual is absolutely without 

 any remnant of the first digit. 



The following are the three species which have been described as 

 belonging to this genus ; but it must be confessed that the two Mo- 

 zambique species are very closely allied to each other ; and as to the 

 West-African one, I have already stated my belief that it is only a 

 synonym of Herpestes albicauda ; but not having had the oppor- 

 tunity of examining the type, I put it provisionally in its place here, 

 with Dr. Pucheran's short diagnosis appended. 



1. Bdeogale crassicauda. 

 * B. crassicauda, Peters, tom. cit. p. 120, Taf. xxvii. (1852). 



Hab. Mozambique (Tette-Boror). 



Characters much as in B. puisa (described below), except that the 

 tail is distinctly longer in proportion, and the tail-hairs, which are 

 very long, have their basal halves white and their terminal black, 

 while in B. puisa they are uniformly blackish brown. The last 

 molar also in the present species seems to be proportionally some- 

 what longer, judging from Dr. Peters's excellent figures. 



Skull. 



Length^. Breadth. Palate-leugtb. 

 a. Type (from Peters) 3-15 179 1*96 



2. Bdeogale puisa. 

 * B. puisa, Peters, tom. cit. p. 124, Taf. xxviii. (1852). 



Hab. Mozambique (Mossimboa) (Peters) ; Zanzibar (Kirk). 



Size rather large ; form slender ; tail short, not half so long as the 

 head and body. Underside of the hind foot thickly hairy to the 

 base of the toes. General colour dull brownish, with or without 

 annulations. Underfur tawny yellow, long and soft. Limbs 



' From front of jaw to foramen magnum. 

 Prog. Zool. Sqc— 1882, No. VI. 6 



