178 PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE £LUROIDEA. [Feb. 7, 
Journ. Nat. Hist. ii. pl. 13. fig. 2; H. villicollis, Madras Journal, 
1839, pl. 2. M. Chatin, in vol. xiv. (1874) of the 5th series of the 
Ann. des Se. Nat. pp. 79-88, figs. 34-37, describes and figures the 
anal glands of three species of Herpestes. Horsfield describes the 
anal pouch of another under the name Mangusta javanica, 
The pupil contracts so as to present a horizontally extended 
aperture; at least it does so in living examples examined by me 
and Mr. Bartlett. In H. auropunctatus the anus opened most 
distinctly on the surface of the body, and not into a saccular depres- 
sion. This fact, and the difference of the teeth in different species, 
incline me to believe that the genus will hereafter be divided into 
two or more genera when the structure of all the forms has been 
thoroughly worked out. 
The genus Herpestes exhibits the characters before enumerated as 
existing in Viverra, except nos. 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26 (often), 29, 
30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43, and 53. 
The (to me doubtful) genus Helogale was founded by Gray’, and 
contains two species, H. parvula, from Natal and other parts of 
South Africa, and H., undulata from Mozambique. It is a very small, 
herpestiform animal, with a bald or nearly bald tarsus. Both its 
cranial and dental characters are those of Herpestes, save that both 
a are wanting, while at the same time Bie placed close behind 
the canine, so that there is no diastema. The length of the head 
and body is 25", of the tail 13". 
The genus Cynictis was instituted by Ogilby in 1833°, who has 
figured the skull and external form in the first volume of our 
‘Transactions.’ There is one species which comes from South Africa. 
It is of a reddish colour with more or less annulated hair and a bushy 
tail, with a tarsus which seems to be constantly very hairy ; and the 
metatarsus is also hairy. The animal is herpestiform, but slender, 
and has no hallux; and the pollex is very short. The orbits are 
completely encircled by bone; and all the cranial and dental charac- 
ters are like those of Herpestes, save that the infraorbital foramen 
. P.3 P. 4 ; 
opens above the interval between —~ and —, and jy is rather 
larger. Its outer internal cusp is more prominent, and sometimes 
bifurcates at its apex, as it also does in Herpestes albicaudus and 
probably in some others. 
The skull (including the Jasis cranii) of Cynictis is figured by 
De Blainville, Ostéog. (Viverra), pl. 5; the appendicuiar skeleton 
on pls. 10 & 11, and its dentition on pl. 12. 
The length of the head and body is 45'-6, of the tail 30!-4. 
I can find no record of the anatomy of its soft parts or the con- 
dition of the anus ; but the condition of the skins seemed to me to 
indicate that the anus opens into a depression as in certain species 
of Herpestes. This suspicion has been confirmed by the exami- 
nation of a living specimen at our Gardens. Cynictis agrees with 
Herpestes, save as above indicated. 
oS Z.8. 1861, p. 308; see also P. Z.S. 1864, p. 570, and Cat. of Carnivora, 
p- 169. 
2 See P. Z.S. 1833, p. 48, and Trans. Z. 8. (1835), vol. i. p. 29, pl. 34. 
