140 MB. O. THOMAS ON THE [Feb. 20, 



111 the instance before us, it is practically certain that the simple 

 and attractive explanation, often put forward in such cases, that a 

 milk premolar has been retained, instead of being shed in the 

 usual way, is not applicable. For although there is no marked 

 difference in size either between the most anterior premolar of the 

 type and that of specimen «, or between the third of the type and 

 the second of the same normal specimen, so that the tooth between 

 them in the type would seem unlikely to be the product of the 

 fission of either p^ or p 2 , yet the mp 2 of other Herpestiace is in 

 form entirely unlike the styliform extra tooth under discussion, 

 and mp 1 has as yet never been certainly shown to be present in 

 any Carnivore. 



Mr. Whyte's observation on the food of R. melleri is of great 

 interest, as its fruit-eating habits may perhaps account for the 

 peculiar structure and wear of the molars. In all the three 

 specimens before me the posterior molars appear to be more 

 worn than the anterior, as though an unusual amount of chewing 

 had fallen to their share; but it must be admitted that this appear- 

 ance may be deceptive, and that the explanation may be that ni 3 is 

 naturally so much flatter than usual that it appears to be ivorn 

 flat almost at once. 



The foetal or new-born specimen c, preserved in spirit, shows 

 not the slightest trace of a mesial naked Hue below the muzzle, 

 and therefore lends weight to Dr. Gray's opinion as to the value 

 of this character in dividing the genera of Herpestince. 



15. Ceossaechus fasciatus, Desm. 



a. Ad. sk. $ . Zomba. 1/93. 



6. Tg. sk. Zomba. 1/93. 



c. Tg. sk. Mpimbi, Upper Shire. 



16. L.UTEA MACULICOLLIS, Licht. 



a. Ad. sk. 2 • Fort Johnston, Upper Shire'. 11/92. 



This specimen belonged to the collection worked out in May 

 1893, but was accidentally omitted from my previous paper. The 

 species is a rare one, and this exact record of its occurrence is 

 therefore of value. 



17. Sciueus paxliatus, Pet. 



a, b. Ad. sks. rf $ . Milanji Plateau. 13 & 15/4/93. 



18. Sciueus mutabilis, Pet. 



a-i. Four adult and five young skins. Zomba. 12/92 and 1/93. 



These midsummer specimens are of the greatest interest, as 

 illustrating a little further the series of seasonal changes occurring 

 in this remarkable species. The adult specimens are halfway 

 through a change of fur, two of them having fresh grizzled-grey 

 hairs on the anterior halves of their bodies and on their tails, 

 while their posterior halves are clothed with ragged rufous or 



