1907.] MAMMALS FROM LIBERIA. 1043 



not coalesced into definite longitudinal lines. The limbs of 

 G. pardina, also appear to be paler. They are at all events pale 

 externally, for in the original description the toes and the inner 

 sides are said to be blackish, and the figure represents the outer 

 sides of both fore and hind limbs as much the same colour as the 

 body. Matschie describes the legs as quite pale. In this, as in 

 some other respects, his Togoland examples referred to G. -pardina 

 difier from the type of that species and may prove to be sub- 

 specifically distinct. I think it is highly probable, perhaps 

 certain, that G. johnstoni is related moi'e nearly to G. pardina 

 than to any species of Genet hitherto described. It may indeed 

 prove to be a subspecies of that foi-m ; but until the Genets are 

 better known, it is diflficult to decide whether a specific or sub- 

 specific value should be assigned to the variotis kinds that have 

 been named. 



POIANA RICHARDSONI Thomps. 



Genetta richardsoni Thompson, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. x. p. 204, 

 1842. 



Subsp. LiBERiENSis, nov, (Plate LIV. fig. 3.) 



Ground-colour of dorsal and latei'al surfaces of the body and of 

 the upper side of the tail a rich yellowish fawn ; the fore-legs 

 somewhat greyer externally ; the hind-legs externally as far down 

 as the hock about the same colour as the ho(\j, but greyer and 

 paler below the hock anteriorly. The under side of the throat, 

 chest and belly, the inside of the fore-limbs, of the hind-limbs as 

 far as the hock, and the tnider side of the tail, except at the 

 extreme tip, quite white, the Avhite everywhere i-ather sharply 

 defined from the yellow where the two tints are in contact. 

 Underfur of the dorsal and lateral surfaces smoky grey, of the 

 belly white, except close to the yellow, where the grey persists. 

 On the body there is no great difference in tint between the 

 undei'fur of a spot and of a yellow interspace : and this sometimes 

 obtains on the tail, but in the majority of the skins, the underfui 

 of an interspace on the tail is nearly white and much paler than 

 that of an adjoining stripe. There is a median spinal stripe 

 extending from between the shoulders, where it is narrowest, 

 over the lumbar and sacral areas, where it is broadest, to the root 

 of the tail. This is sometimes interrupted here and there, and 

 sometimes doubled in parts and to a varying extent in some 

 places strongly, in some places weakly zigzagged. The spots on 

 the body are arranged in four or five longitudinal rows ; they are 

 all solid and usually longer than wide, the spaces between them 

 being relatively narrow ; those of the inferior rows are usually 

 much smaller, those of the lowest row running along that part of 

 the white under side which has grey underfur. These rows of 

 spots extend backwards over the thighs and forwards over the 

 shoulders and sides of the neck ; on the sides of the neck the 

 inferior rows do not form definite lines ; the two upper rows, on 



