MANGUSTA JAVANICA. 



various relations of animals. I shall therefore, agreeably to the direction afforded 

 to me by this work, consider the Feline animals as one series, and the Viverrine 

 animals as another series. That the animals of the former series are still imperfectly 

 known, can clearly be demonstrated. As one proof, I shall adduce the Felis capensis 

 of Forster. This distinguished naturalist, who was not unacquainted with the 

 characters of Felis and Viverra, as defined by Linnseus, clearly givesj as a property 

 of the animal described by him, a lengthened head. Phil. Trans. Vol. LXXI. p. 5. 

 Caput rostro magis acuto quam Felis cati. And M. Desmarest, in describing this 

 animal in the Encyclopedic, offers in a note the following remark : — " M. Georges 

 Cuvier, au quel on doit les rapprochemens que nous adoptons, a lui-meme balance a 

 regarder le chat du Cap, Felis capensis de Forster, comme une vraie civette. Dans 

 son Memoire sur les especes de chats, il le consid^re comme une espece voisine du 

 chat serval ; mais dans son dernier ouvrage (le Regne Animal), il dit qu'il ne differe 

 pas de la genette." Concerning the Viverra tigrina of Schreber, which was figured 

 by Vosmsr, it more resembles a Feline than a Viverrine animal. M. Desmarest 

 points out its affinity to the Felis graciUs ; and the name given it by Vosmser, Chat- 

 M%aam, shews that he considered the characters of the Cat to predominate. The 

 specific character also exhibits a remarkable agreement with our animal in the 

 external marks, at the same time that it clearly indicates a specific distinction. We have 

 thus in the Felis capensis, and in the Viverra tigrina Gmel., two animals of the Feline 

 series, which are analogous to Viverrine animals ; and it may reasonably be expected, 

 that future discoveries will make known others, which will unite the Felis gracilis 

 with the Feline animals now known, and thus complete the series which is still inter- 

 rupted. In the Viverrine animals, which are apparently better known, the series is 

 more regular ; according to the relative development of the grinders, it has been 

 arranged above in the following order : Genetta, Viverra, Suricata, Mangusta. The 

 proportional development of the anal follicuH also confirms this disposition : in 

 Genetta it constitutes a simple excavation ; in Viverra it is a pouch, divided into 

 two sacks ; in Suricata, and particularly in Mangusta, it consists of an extensive 

 portion of integument, with numerous folds, which passes over and incloses the 

 anal aperture. These observations, which shew the regularity of the Viverrine 

 series, and the interruption still existing in the Feline series, were necessary to my 

 conclusion, that, although the Felis gracilis agree with the Mangusta javanica in its 

 relations of analogy, the aggregate of its characters, which constitute its relations 

 of affinity, associate it with Felis. In illustration of these observations, I shall intro- 

 duce Mr. Macleay's words : — " The test of a relation of affinity is its forming part of 

 a transition continued from one structvu-e to another, by nearly equal intervals, and 

 the test of a relation of analogy, is barely an evident similarity in some one or two 

 remarkable points of forraation, which at first sight give a character to the animal. 



