184 CAENIVOEA. 



the orbits. The length of the alveolar surface is greater than in either H. palUdus, 

 or H. maGGartUi(B, and slightly in excess of that of S. smithii. The teeth are also 

 larger than in these two species, especially the canines, which are considerably larger 

 than in the last mentioned. The posterior prolongation of the palate is slightly 

 longer and broader than in S. maccarfMa, although in this respect H. smithii 

 closely approaches S. jerdonii. Its posterior margin, instead of forming a transverse 

 line, or an arched border, as in S. pallidus, sends out a slightly backward projecting 

 shelf of bone with a rugged margin, whereas in a specimen of S. smithii the 

 same border is somewhat similarly formed, but concave instead of being convex, 

 whilst in S. maccarthice it is rather deeply notched ; but this is only a modification 

 of the arched palatine border which occurs in H. pattidus, and does not merit the 

 importance which Dr. Gray has attached to it. The ridges from the post-orbital 

 processes of the frontals curve first forwards and inwards, and then inwards and back- 

 wards, the two ridges only meeting behind the post-orbital contraction, and this, be 

 it remembered, occurs in a fully adult skull. However, it is improbable that this 

 is a specific character, as this part of the skull from the very nature of the ridges 

 must be the subject of considerable variation ; doubtless the extent to which the 

 post-orbital contraction is carried is also variable. These are the only features which 

 seemingly separate the skull of S. jerdonii from the skulls of the other species, and 

 these little-pronounced characters indicate how closely all these forms are related 

 to each other. All the sutures of the skull have disappeared with age and the 

 orbit is entire. 



It would appear from a statement of Kelaart's ^ that Sir Walter Elliot was the 

 first to recognise this species which, so long ago as 1852, he had indicated in M.S. 

 as S. monticolus, the name adopted for it by Jerdon.^ 



This form occurs in Southern India, and is apparently the Mungoose which 

 ranges to the north-west, even to Kashmir, where it constitutes the H. thysanurus, 

 Wagner, which has been described as " H. minor, pilis fusco et pallide luteo- 

 annulatis ; pedibus fuscis, Cauda longa penciltio magna aterrimo terminata.''^ It has 

 also been obtained in Singhbhoom by Mr. V. Ball. 



Herpestes fuscus, Waterhouse. Plate VIII, figs. 1 & 2. 



Ilerpestes fascus, Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1838, p. 55; Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. ii, p, 466; 

 Wagner, Sclireber, Saugeth. Siippl. vol. ii. (1841), p. 308; Schinz, Syn. Mamm. vol. i. (1844), 

 p. 372; Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 1852, vol. xx. p. 349 ; Cat. Mamm. As. Soc. Mus. Beng. 

 1863, p. 52; Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, p. 554; Cat. Carniv. Mamm. 1869, p. 162; 

 Jerdon, Mamm. of Ind. 1867, p. 136. 



The type of this species is in the British Museum. It is a large Mun- 

 goose measuring 17*50 inches from the tip of the muzzle to the root of the 



» Prod. Fauna, Zeylan. 1852, p. 44. 



* It is closely allied to R. ichneumon, Wagner, from Egypt, which is apparently identical with H. pharoeensis, 

 Desm., which does not appear to differ from H. cafra, Licht. (Saugeth.) from North Africa, nor from H. widringtonii. 

 Gray, from Spain. The fur is alike on all of these supposed species, and the tail is black -tipped in all. 



