1882.] PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ^LUROIDEA. 177 



anterior margin of the external auditory opening is slightly more 

 produced than is the posterior one. The pterygoid fossa is small or 

 absent. The condyloid foramen is concealed. The cranium is much 

 pinched in behind the postorbital processes. The cranial ridges are 

 small or moderate. The paroccipital processes do not depend. The 

 mastoid is considerably developed (as in Cynogale), forming a con- 

 siderable external ridge. The carotid canal begins near the anterior 

 end of the inner wall of the hinder (and outer) chamber of the 

 bulla. It opens anteriorly at the outer or inner end of the anterior 

 (and inner) chamber ; and there is a mostly conspicuous foramen ia 

 the basis cranii between the alisphenoid close to the basisphenoid, 

 through which the internal carotid artery passes up into the cranial 

 cavity beside the hinder part of the sella turcica. The palate 

 is greatly prolonged behind the last molars. The infraorbital 

 foramen opens generally above -^— . 



lu dentition Herpestes generally much resembles Oenetta, espe- 

 cially in the excessive transverse extension of -^ and -^. Some- 

 times, as in H, persicus (No. 1436 b in the British Museum), ^^ 

 is very minute ; and occasionally, as in H. smithii (No. 979 a, the 

 skin also in the collection), —^ is wanting (with no trace of an 

 alveolus) on one side, and very minute on the other. Generally —^ 

 has two small outer and one large internal cusps. Generally also ^^ 

 is more transversely extended and more trihedral than in any yet 

 here described genus, and its posterior margin is rather more con- 

 cave ; otherwise it is shaped as in Genet ta and Viverricula. -^ 

 is quite like the homologeus tooth of the Genets. ^— is somewhat 

 broader behind than in Genetta, and has a small posterior inner 



cusp ; and it is therefore more like the — of Paradoocurus. — 

 is much as in Viverra. -^ is smaller, and may be absent altogether 

 (as in No. 4324 of College of Surgeons' Museum and No. 1 48 c of 

 British Museum). The teeth of the lower jaw are like those of the 

 Genet, except that the inner cusp of j^-j is rather more developed, 

 p— J is rather broader posteriorly, and ^-^ is sometimes wanting. 



The teeth of H. paludosus are exceptionally stout, as are also 

 those of H. robustus, which are represented in P. Z. S. 1864, p. 558, 

 and Cat. of Carniv. p. 157. 



The teeth of Herpestes are represented by De Blainville, * Osteo- 

 graphie ' {Viverra), pi. 12, the entire skeleton on pi. 1, and skulls 

 and parts of the appendicular skeleton on intermediate plates. For 

 the basis cranii see P. Z. S. 1869, p. 21, fig. 9. 



H. galera is the Vansire of Buffon (Hist. Nat. t. xiii. pi. 21). 

 H. sanguineus is figured in Riippell's ' Fauna of Abyssinia,' pi. 8, and 

 the skull on pi. 10 ; H. mvigigella, pi. 9. fig. 1 ; H. gracilis, pis. 8 

 & 10; H. undulatus and //. ornatus (external forms, skulls, and 

 foot-pads) on pis. 25 and 26 of Peters's ' Reise nach Mossambique ;' 

 H. smithii, P. Z. S. 1851, pi. 31 ; H. albicaudus, Mag. de Zool. 

 1839, pi. 11 ; and H. albescens, loc. cit. pi. 12; H. vera, Calcutta 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 18S2, No. XII. 12 



