370 Mr. O. Thomas on Mustek albinucha, Gray. 



Obs. The form of the flesh-spicule is, so far as is known, 

 unique, although the skeletal spicules and structure of the 

 sponge generally without this combination would be nothing 

 extraordinary. There is, however, a tendency in the latter to 

 a polygonal character (fig. 10) ; and the surface-interstices were 

 tympanized with sarcode, in which probably the pores were 



situated. 



The nearest approach in form to the flesh-spicule is the 

 tWgwzanchorate represented by Dr. Bowerbank in fig. 135 

 (Mon. B. S. vol. i. p. 249, pi. vi.), which came from a " para- 

 sitical " sponge also found at Freeman tie, in Australia, and is 

 likened to an Esperia (IFymeniacidonj Bk.). 



EXPLANATION OF TLATE XV. fig. 10, a-e. 



Fig. 10. Monanchora clathrata, n. gen. et sp., natural size of specimen. 



a and 6, skeletal spicules ; c, flesh-spicule. More magnified view 

 of the latter : d, front view ; e, lateral view. 



XLVIIL — On Mustela albinucha, Gray. 



By Oldfield Thomas, F.Z.S., British Museum. 



In the ' Proceedings of the Zoological Society ' for 1864 

 (p. 69), the late Dr. Gray described and figured a brightly 

 coloured weasel from South Africa, under the name of Zorilla 

 albinucha] but afterwards, in his 'Catalogue of the Carni- 

 vora in the British Museum ' (1869, p. 90), he stated that it 

 was a " Mustela having the coloration of a Zorilla" On an 

 examination of its skull, however, I find that it should be re- 

 ferred to a new genus, on account of the remarkable reduction 

 in the number of its teeth, and of various differences in the 

 general character of its skull. In all I have examined five 

 specimens, of which four are in the British Museum and one 

 is in the Paris Museum. I would propose for the genus the 

 name of Pcecilogale* '. Its dental formula is as follows : 



I. | C. -J, P.M. J M. \ (rarely i) x 2=28 (or 30). 



The anterior premolars in both upper and lower jaws are en- 

 tirely absent ; and the minute posterior lower molar present in 

 all other Mustelidas, with the exception mentioned below, is 



* From nouclkos, meaning either " particoloured " (which the only 

 species is) or" cunning" (which any weasel mav he safelv nresumed to be). 



