948 MR. R. I. POCOCK ON WARNING COLORATION [DeC. 15, 



all are visible, the Skuuk being the most conspicuous of the 

 three on account of the greatei' amount of black in its pelage ; 

 and the Libyan Zorilla the least conspicuous for the opposite 

 reason. The interest of this fact lies in the circumstance that 

 the species of Skunk mentioned above frequently has to traverse 

 snow-covered ground ; whereas the Libyan Zorilla probably 

 never has to do so. By twilight and daylight the specimens 

 were conspicuous both in vegetation, on the grass, and on 

 snow-covei^ed ground. 



Another Weasel wdiich presents a very unusual t}'pe of colora- 

 tion is the genus Poecilogale of tropical and Southern Africa, the 

 typical form of which is F. alhinucha of Cape Colony. The livery 

 is of the same style as that of Ictonyx, the body being black with 

 four snow-white stripes along the back. On the shoulders these 

 coalesce into two strij^es which fuse with a large white patch 

 covering the fore part of the nape of the neck and the top of the 

 liead. The tail is white. The resemblance between this animal 

 and Ictonyx may be an instance of true (Batesian) mimicry as 

 Mr. Lydekker has suggested *. On the other hand, if Poecilogale 

 is itself protected by an exaggerated development of the sub- 

 caudal stink-glands such as are found in the common weasel, 

 stoat, and polecat, it may be that the similarity in question is an 

 illustration of Miilleiian i-esemblance. Yery little seems to be 

 known of the habits of this rare animal, but its long and lithe 

 form which is typically weasel-like, suggests that it resembles in 

 mode of life the weasel and the stoat, to which it is more nearly 

 related than to the zorillas. If this be so, it would seem that 

 the peculiar style of coloration, so unlike the protective coloration 

 of weasels and stoats, must have either a true warning (apose- 

 matic) or a false warning (pseudaposematic) significance. 



Another member of this family which I have no doubt is 

 w^arningly coloured is the Teledu {Mydaus) of Indo-Malaya. 

 The general colour is blackish brown, but a wdiite band 

 commonly extends from the top of the head down the spine to 

 the tail, the tip of which is also white. On the back of the head 

 and neck the area of white is increased by the hairs forming a 

 decided erectile crest. This animal, like Skunks and Cape 

 Polecats, is nocturnal. It is slow in its movements and feeds to 

 a great extent upon insects and worms. It also possesses stink- 

 glands, wdiich exude a fetid volatile liquid. According to Hors- 

 field, " the entire neighbourhood of a village is infested by the 

 odour of an irritated Teledu, and in the immediate vicinity of the 

 disciiarge it is so violent as in some persons to produce syncope," 

 as has been stated to be the case with the discharge of the Skunk. 

 Mr. Shoi-tridge, who has collected these animals in Java, tells me 

 that he believes they feed upon roots ; and he has noticed the 

 night air tainted by their smell. I also owe to Mr. Shortridge 

 the suggestion that in Java at all events the Teledu is mimicked 



* Royal Natural History, ii. p. 70, 1894. 



