1882.] PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ZLUROIDEA, 159 
marked by a groove along the middle of the nasals, as in Fossa. 
The cerebellar chamber of the cranium is very large, larger relatively 
than in Viverra or Civetta. The cranial ridges are slight, the 
temporal ridges not uniting to form a sagittal ridge. The ascending 
ramus of the mandible has a narrower and more vertically prolonged 
coronoid process than in Genetta, while the angle extends less 
backwardly. The teeth’ are formed like those of the Genets, save 
that there is no “2 and that £:* has rather a larger talon relatively, 
while its inner cusp is situated a little more towards the anterior 
end of the tooth. 3-4 has also a smaller talon than has the corre- 
sponding tooth of Genetta; and ;,5 is much more minute than is the 
ace of the Genets, and more laterally compressed, with two (or 
three) cusps placed one in front of the other. The deciduous teeth 
are like those of the Genets, save that oe seems to have its talon 
hardly smaller than in the adult, and has no extra cusp on the ridge 
joining the inner and anterior cusps. 5- is unlike that of Genetta. 
and is quite like 5,4, except that the postero-external cusp is rather 
larger compared with the anterior one, and that the talon is a trifle 
smaller relatively. 
Prionodon has all the characters enumerated as those of Viverra, 
except Nos, 1. 2, 12, 18, 42, 45, and 46. 
The genus Poiana was founded by Dr. Gray on the Genetta 
poénsis described by Mr. Waterhouse *. 
Its coloration is very like that of Prionodon; but the spots are 
smaller and show no tendency to run into transverse bands or stripes, 
except on the middle of the back of the head, and except a broad 
mark on each side descending from the back of the head to above 
the shoulder. The tail is ringed with dark rings, alternately broad 
and narrow. The muzzle is very pointed. The length of the head 
and body is about 38 inches, that of the tail 40°5 inches. 
The animal comes from Sierra Leone and Fernando Po, and 
differs from Prionodon not only remarkably as to geographical 
distribution, but also in that it has a narrow bald line running up 
towards the tarsus, as in Genetta. I have been able to find no 
cranial distinctions between Poiana and Prionodon, save that in the 
latter the cerebellar chamber of the cranium is smaller, and that 
the coronoid process of the mandible is intermediate in form between 
that of Genetta and that of Poiana. 
The teeth are also quite like those of Prionodon, except that 
xr is rather less laterally compressed, its three cusps being not 
placed so nearly in an antero-posterior line. 
Thus this animal might be considered an African Prionodon 
which had acquired a Genet-like tarsus; and this determination 
1 The dentition (copied from Horsfield’s plate) is given by De Blainville, 
Ostéographie, Viverras, pl. 12. 
2 P.Z.S. 1838, p. 59. See also P. Z.S. 1864, p. 520, and .Brit. Mus. Cat. 
p. 54, fig. 8 (skull). 
