EXTERNAL CHARACTERS OF THE MLTSTELID.E. 



821 



species the hair of the carpus extends to tlie caipal pads, overlaps 

 the inner and spreads into the posterior emaxgination of the 

 plantar pad ; and there is a scanty patch of hair upon the lower 

 side of the interdigital integument*. (Text-fig. 34, A-D.) 



Text-fie-ure 34. 



A. Right fore foot of Ictomjx capensis, from S. Africa, witli Lair on 



interdigital integument. 



B. Right fore foot of the same. 



C. Right hind foot of Ictonyx sp., from the Sudan, with naked soles. 

 I). Right fore foot of the same. 



Xi 



In Puicilictis the feet are more like those of typical Mitstela, in 

 the sense that the soles are much more thickly hairy and the 

 plantar pad is smaller and more subdivided, no doubt in con- 

 formity with the sandy habitat of the animal. 



The feet of Taxidea resemble those of Ictonyx in the absence 



* Thus Thomas's statement that Ictonyx may be distinguished from Poecilictis 

 by the nakedness of the soles of the feet does not hold good. 



