MANGUSTA JAVANICA. 



wanting in adult subjects ; the second and third have a small anterior, and a 

 larger posterior heel ; and the fourth is more distended behind, and provided with 

 two tubercles. In the character of the fifth grinder, the genus Mangusta is 

 evidently distinguished from the genera with which it is connected by the relations 

 of affinity — the genera Viverra and Ryzsena ; at the same time, it is obvious that 

 the teeth generally are greatly compressed, and the anterior and posterior tubercles 

 more developed than in Viverra. This peculiarity produces a strong analogy to the 

 Felis gracilis, of the First Number of these Researches, which will be pointed out in 

 the sequel. This grinder greatly exceeds the others in size : it is provided with 

 three high projecting points, two of which occupy the anterior and external, and a 

 third the middle and interior portion of the tooth ; of the former, the second is 

 sharp, greatly projecting, and terminated exteriorly by a curved edge ; the interior 

 point is acute, simple, and lower : the posterior part of the tooth consists of an 

 abruptly abbreviated heel, formed for trituration, and directed to the sixth grinder, 

 which is a small narrow tuberculous tooth provided with three distinct points. 

 The head is conical, of moderate length, slightly depressed above, and terminated 

 by an acute muzzle, which projects somewhat beyond the lower lip. The tongue 

 is covered with long, sharp, horny tubercles. The eyes are provided with a 

 nictitating membrane, which admits of being drawn entirely over them. The 

 ears are naked and membranaceous internally, and provided with a narrow reflected 

 auricle. Both the body and the iieck have a slender form. The hairy covering is long 

 on the body and tail, but short on the head and extremities : it is rigid and glossy, 

 closely applied to the parts which it covers, and provided scantily at the base with 

 a delicate down. The tail, in most species, equals the body in length : it is thick 

 at the root, and gradually attenuated to a point. A very extensive pouch exists 

 between the root of the tail and the organs of generation : it is formed by the 

 common integuments being greatly distended, and disposed in folds, so as to pass 

 over the anal aperture, and to cover it entirely. 



The Mangusta javanica belongs to the digitigrade animals, and its extremities 

 are proportionally short. The feet are semipalmate, and provided both on the 

 anterior and posterior extremities with five short compressed toes. Of these the 

 two intermediate ones project beyond the small toe and the index, which are nearly 

 of equal length, while the interior toe or thumb is so far removed from the other 

 toes, as to be apparently of little use to the animal. The claws are of moderate 

 length, greatly compressed, slightly curved, acute, fitted, agreeably to the habits 

 of the animal, both for seizing its prey, and for burrowing the ground ; and, 

 excepting that of the thumb, which is smaller, vary but little in size. The soles of 

 the feet, and the adjoining inferior portion of the legs, are naked. 



