1882.] AFRICAN MUNGOOSES. 87 



which has already been proved to be one of singular variability '. 

 No doubt, also, 0. obscurus has a somewhat more elongated nose 

 than the other species ; but the value of this character, besides being 

 almost impossible to estimate without spirit specimens, is extremely 

 doubtful ; and the remarkable agreement in other characters convinces 

 me that C. obscurus is certainly congeneric with C zebra, gambianus, 

 and fasciahts. 



Most specimens of C. obscurus have a remarkably short alisphenoid 

 canal, as compared with that of most Mungooses ; but one of our 

 specimens has the canal quite as long as in ordinary C. sebra, the 

 species which has the next shortest canal. 



The species of this genus seem to be somewhat restricted in their 

 geographical distribution. Thus C. obscurus has hitherto only been 

 found from the Cameroons to Sierra Leone, C. gambianus on the 

 Gambia, C. zebra in Abyssinia, and 0. fasciatus in the eastern part 

 of the Cape colony and as far north as Mozambique^. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Back grizzled, not cross-striped. 



a. Colour dull brown, tips of hairs yellow 1. C. obscurits, ^. SI . 



b. Colour grizzled grey, hairs annulated .', 2. C. gambianus, p. 88. 



II. Back cross-striped. 



c. P.M* more than 8 mm. Stripes narrow. 



Underside rufous 3. C ^«J>•a, p. 89, 



d P-M* less than 7 mm. Stripes broad. 



Underside grizzled grey 4. C. fasciatus, p. 90. 



1 . Crossarchus obscurus. 



Crossarchus obscurus, F. Cuv. Hist. Nat. Mamm. iii. livr. 47 

 (1825). 



Crossarchus typicus, A. Smith, S. Afr. Quart, Journ. ii. p. 135 

 (1835). 



Hab. West Africa. 



Size medium ; form rather stout ; muzzle produced. Tail about 

 half as long as the head and body. General colour dull grizzled 

 brown ; the longer hairs dark brown for four fifths of their length, 

 and the tips yellow. Underfur brown at base, light grey for terminal 

 half. Belly like back. Head more finely grizzled, with a rufous 

 tinge. Feet almost wholly black. Tail like back, but the yellow 

 tips of the hairs gradually become red towards the tip. 



Skull long and narrow, with a narrow and depressed nasal region. 

 Teeth very small, upper P.M* but seldom reaching 7 mm. in its 

 greatest diameter. Dental percentage 71-77. 



Dimensio7is. 



Head and 



body. Tail. Hind foot. 



a. Cameroons 15 7'5 2"8 



6. W. Africa 12-5 25 



' See above, p. 67. 



* See footnote 2 on p. 90. 



