Mr. O. Thomas on a new Mungoose. 465 
XLV.—A new Mungoose from Namaqualand. 
By OuprieLp THomas, F.R.S. 
By the generosity of Mr. C. D. Rudd, a trained taxidermist 
(Mr. C. H. B. Grant) has been enabled to carry on a collecting 
tour in South Africa on behalf of the National Museum. A 
specimen of Lepus capensis obtained on this expedition has 
already been referred to above in the description of Lepus 
capensis centralis *,and I now have the pleasure of describing 
a very fine and distinct new mungoose found by Mr. Grant 
in the north-eastern part of the Colony. 
It may appropriately be termed 
Herpestes Ruddt, sp. n. 
Size of H. pulverulentus, which it appears to represent in 
Namaqualand. Important characters as in that species, except 
in regard to the tail-tip. General colour of body rather 
browner and less grey than in H. pulverulentus, owing to the 
light rings on the hairs being yellowish instead of white 
and the underfur being darker. Posterior back becoming 
prominently deep blackish instead of the uniform grizzled 
erey of the older known species. ‘This blackening is obtained 
by the long dorsal hairs being broadly black-tipped, with 
only one small subterminal light band, the underfur being 
also blackish. Under surface and hind limbs from hips 
downwards also blacker than in H. pulverulentus, the latter 
part being in some instances deep glossy black. ‘Tail long, 
bushy, tapering, its hairs (except at the tip) annulated basally 
with black and dull whitish, their tips being broadly washed 
with buffy yellow, the general tone of the tail being therefore 
mixed yellow and black; hairs of end of tail wholly black, 
forming a glossy black tail-tip 1-2 inches in length. 
Skull closely similar to that of MZ. pulverulentus ; perhaps 
rather more heavily built; bulle rather lower and _ less 
swollen. Upper carnassial teeth shorter antero-posteriorly. 
Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesh) :— 
Head and body 347 millim.; tail315; hind foot (s.u.) 69; 
ear 26. 
Skull: basal length 69; zygomatic breadth 39°5; inter- 
orbital breadth 16°5; palate length 39°6; breadth between 
outer corners of p* 24°5; p*, greatest diameter 8, length on 
outer edge 7; diameter of m? 3°6. 
* Ann. & Mage. Nat, Hist. ser. 7, vol. xii, p. 344 (1903), 
