72 MR, 0. THOMAS ON THE [Jan. 3, 
derable series of perfect skeletons would be necessary before one 
could place any reliance upon them as a specific character. 
5. HERPESTES GALERA. 
a. Typical variety. 
Mustela galera, Eirxl. Syst. Reg. Anim. i. p. 453 (1777). 
Viverra nems, Kerr, Linn. 8. N. p. 160 (1792). 
Mustela afra, Kerr, t. cit. p. 175 (1792). 
Ichneumon galera et major, Geoff. Descr. Egypte, Hist. Nat. ii. 
p-. 138 (1812). 
Atilax vansire, F. Cuv. Hist. Nat. Mamm. iii. livr. 54 (1826). 
Herpestes paludinosus, G. Cuv. Régne Anim. ed. 2, i. p. 158 (1829). 
*Mangusta urinatrix, A. Smith, Zool. Journ. iv. p. 437 (1829). 
*Herpestes pluto, Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 95 (1853). 
*Herpestes loempo, Gray, P. Z.8. 1864, p. 551 (nee Temm.) (1864). 
Athylax vansire et paludosus, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1864, p. 557 (1864). 
Hab. West and South Africa. 
b. Variety robustus. 
*Athylax robustus, Gray, P. Z.8. 1864, p. 558 (1864). 
Hab. East Africa (White Nile). 
Specific Characters.—Size very large, form stout and heavy. Tail 
shorter than the body without the head. General colour either 
grizzled reddish brown and white, or dark blackish brown without 
annulations’. Underfur greyish brown. Feet dark brown. Tail 
coloured like the body, but rather darker, sometimes gradually be- 
coming nearly black towards the end, the black never sharply sepa- 
rated as in H. ichneumon. Belly similar to back. Cheeks gene- 
rally with a peculiar indistinct whitish mark from the angle of the 
mouth to below the ear. Hind soles as a rule quite naked, some- 
times with the posterior third hairy’. 
Skull very stout and heavy, the lower jaw particularly so, with a 
distinct and well-marked chin in adults. Teeth rather small in 
proportion. Last molar more than half the last premolar (56-61 
per cent.). 
Varietal Characters. 
Var. galera. Smaller: skull less than 4°3 inches in length. 
Var. robustus. Larger : skull more than 4:5 inches in length. 
Dimensions. 
F Head 
Typical variety. and body. Tail. Hind foot. 
a. Cape SSiar: wate 24°5 13°0 3°9 
| ee mmr 24:0 13:5 3°9 
c=. W scAfrica ase 24:0 Pe ks 3°8 
Var. robustus. 
d. Type: E. Africa.... 26°5 12°5 4:0 
* See above, p. 61. 2 See above, p. 67, 
