EXTERNAL CHARACTERS OF MONGOOSES. 357 



of cases the groove is continued upwards on to the rhinarium. 

 In Cynictis, however, the groove does not quite reach the 

 .rhinarium and is confined to the upper lip, where it is nothing 

 but an impressed line, not a definite gutter, dividing the median 

 naked area of skin. In the other genera of Mongooses possessing 

 this feature, the median naked area forms a gutter capable of 

 expansion and contraction. When conti'acted, it closes up com- 

 pletely and is represented superficially by a linear groove, the 

 right and left hairy areas of the upper lip being in contact 

 in the middle line. In Cynictis, therefore, we have a condition 

 of the upper lip nearly intermediate between the condition seen 

 in Alungos. with the guttered upper lip, and Ariela, with the 

 undivided upper lip. 



The depth, or height, of the upper lip beneath the rhinarivim 

 vai-ies. In most genera it is less than the depth of the rhinarium. 

 But in Ichneumia albicauda the lip is deeper — as deep, indeed, as 

 the rhinarium. The same applies to Crossarchus obscui'ios ; but 

 in this animal the rhinarium is relatively much deeper than in 

 Ichneumia, owing to the unusual depth of the infranarial portion 

 in front. Hence the lip itself is also relatively deeper. It is 

 the combined depths of the rhinarium and lip which impart to 

 Crossarchus the very chai'acteristic somewhat pig-like appearance 

 about the snout — an appearance not noticeable in any other species 

 of Mongoose except Suricata *. 



ISTormally in Mongooses, as in other Carnivores, the two portions 

 of the upper lip to the right and left of the groove are closely in 

 contact, the groove itself appearing as a narrow vertical line. The 

 function of the groove is to help the separation of the two halves 

 of the lip when raised to clear the teeth. When the groove is 

 obliterated, the snout is raised, thus drawing the lip upwards away 

 from tlie teeth, a phenomenon very noticeable in such forms as 

 Procyon and Nasua. In all Garnivora it seems that elongation of 

 the snout does not take place without obliteration of the groove ; 

 but the condition of the snout in Ariela shows that it is not 

 true to say that obliteration of the groove always accompanies 

 ■elongation of the snout. 



The Feet. 



Setting aside the variations recorded below, the feet of Mon- 

 gooses have the following characters in common. The claws 

 jire moderately long or very long, curved to a comparatively 

 small extent, and incapable of being lifted high off the ground 

 by the retraction of their jahalanx upon the outer surface of 

 the penultimate phalanx, and the tips of the digits at the base 

 of the claws are never provided with lobes of skin or thickly- 

 growing hair. The digital pads are small. The plantar pad is 



* The name Mhinogale, and its'substitute Uliyncliogale, suggest a similar modi- 

 fication of tlie suout in that genus. The adult of this rare animal is, however, 

 .known to me onl}- from dried skins, in which the real length of the snout cannot be 

 • determined. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1916, ^o. XXIY. 24 



