644 



COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Oenus. — Lyncus. 



Separated from Felis on account of the short tail, and pencils 

 of hairs which tuft the ears. 

 Habitat.— Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

 In this genus are included Chaus, Caracal, and Lyncus. 



Genus. — Gueparda. 



Separated from Felis on account of the semi-retractile claws, 

 larger limbs, and the short mane that runs along the neck and 

 shoulders ; and from Lyncus by the absence of the ear tufts and 

 the long tail. 



Habitat. — Asia and Africa. 



Family. — Vivbheid^e. 



Teeth. — Three pnemola.rs on each side in the upper jaw, and 

 either three or four in the lower. 



Limbs. — Feet generally digitigrade — Claws often semi-retractile. 



Glands. — Placed near junction of hinder limbs, secreting a sub- 

 stance of offensive odor. 



In this family the Hyaenas are placed by the best authorities. 



Oenus. — Hyaena. 



?=?, c. fc* P. t* M. t* 



3—3 1—1 3—3 1—1 



side in the upper jaw is one tuberculate tooth. 



Teeth.— I. 



= 34. On each 



Limbs. — Feet all with four toes. 



Body.— Sloping from shoulder to tail. 



Tail.— Short. 



Habitat. — Asia and Africa. 



In this genus Crocuta is included. 



Genus. — Proteles. 



4 4 5 5 



Teeth. — Molars either or , small and distant. 



4—4 5—5 



Limbs. — Fore-feet with five toes, the thumb being rather raised ; 

 ! hind-feet with four toes. 



Body. — Sloping like that of Hyaena. 

 Tail. — Rather short, and very bushy. 

 Habitat. — Southern Africa. 



Teeth.— I. 



3—3 



C. 



M. 



= 40. 



Oenus. — Viverra. 



3-3' 1— l' ' 4—4' 

 Limbs. — All the feet with five toes, the elaws small and curved, 

 the thumb-joint small and rather raised. 

 Habitat. — Africa, Asia, etc. 



Oenus. — Linsang. 



Separated from preceding by its very slender and elongated 

 body, its long legs, and very long whisker hairs. 

 Habitat. — Java and Nepal. 



Genus. — Genetta. 



Separated from Viverra by its smaller size and longer tail. 

 Habitat. — Africa. 



Oenus. — Bassaris. 



Separated from Viverra by its small, pointed head, long ears, 

 and the different texture of its fur. 



Habitat. — Mexico. 



In the opinion of very many excellent zoologists this genus, 

 together with its two predecessors, ought to be merged into the 

 genus Viverra. 



Genus. — Hcrpestes. 

 Teeth as in Viverra. 

 Head. — Ears Bmall and rounded. 



Feet.— All with five toes, furnished with large, curved, com- 

 pressed claws. 

 Hair— Long and wiry, frequently annulated with different tints. 

 Habitat. — Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

 This genus includes Mungos and Urva. 



Genus. — Cynictis. 



Separated from the preceding genus because the hinder feet 

 have only four toes. The limbs are rather longer, and the ears 

 larger than in Herpestes. 



Habitat. — Southern Africa. 



Oenus. — Crossarchus. 



2 — 2 3—3 



Teeth.— P. , M. ?=?. 



2—2 3—3 



Head. — Muzzle elongated, the nose resembling a proboscis — 



Ears small. 



Limbs. — Feet with five toes, gait plantigrade. 



Tail. — Rather shorter than body. 



Habitat. — Western Africa. 



Genus. — Suricata. 



Teeth.-I. — , C. — , P. — , M. *=? = 36. 



3—3 1—1 3—3 2—2 



Limbs. — Feet with four toes, furnished with long, curved, com- 

 pressed claws. 

 Tail. — Rather exceeding half the length of the body. 

 Habitat. — Southern Africa. 



Teeth.— P. 



4-4' 



Genus. — Cynogale. 



3 g 



M. : — ;, laniary teeth with tubercles. 



4—4 „ 2— I 



Head. — Ears small — Muzzle elongated, blunt, and depressed — 

 Whisker hairs remarkably long. 

 Limbs. — Feet with five short toes, gait plantigrade. 

 Tail.— Short. 

 Habitat. —Borneo. 



Genus. — Paradoxurus. 



Teeth. — Molars as in Viverra — Laniary teeth thick and furnished 

 with conical tubercles. 



Limbs. — Feet with five toes conjo'.md by skin, the thumb not 

 raised, gait plantigrade. 



Tail. — Long and cylindrical, mostly capable of being spirally 

 rolled, but not prehensile. 



Habitat. — Africa and Asia. 



This genus includes Nandinia and Paguma. 



Genus. — Artictis. 



3—3 



1—1 



4-^ 



2—2 

 M. = 40. Canines con- 



Teeth.— I. , C. 



3—3 1—1 4—4 



ical and compressed — Laniary teeth curiously tuberculated. 



Head. — Ears furnished with pencil of long hairs; whisker 

 hairs long. 



Tail. — Nearly as long as body, prehensile, and heavily covered 

 with hair at the base. 



Habitat. — Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. 



This genus is placed by V. der Uoeven among the Ursine animals. 



Genus. — Cfyptoproeta. 



Limbs. — Feet with five toes and plantigrade, furnished with 



retractile claws. 

 Habitat. — Madagascar. * 



It is the opinion of many excellent zoologists that the genera at 



the Viverriue animals might be still further reduced. 



but usually the 



Family. — Canton. 



Teeth. — Molars either , — -, or , 



7-7 7—7 8—8 



former. Two or three on each side of both jaws tuberculated. 



Limbs. — Fore-feet mostly with five toes, thumb raised ; gait 



digitigrade, hinder feet with four toes. 



Genus. — Canis. 



Teeth.- 1. — , C. 1_ 



4—4 2—2 



P. ^— =, M. — = 42. 



4 4 2 2 



Laniary 



3-3 1-1 



tooth of upper jaw bi-lobed, with a small tubercle inside and 

 rather forwards ; the lower laniary divided into three portions. 



