1836.] New Mammals in Nipdlese Catalogue. 235 



Manis, with rounded, naked ears, vertically developed ; thick tail, 

 more than one third thorter than the body ; and scales forming 23 lon- 

 gitudinal series on the body and neck only. Snout to vent, 22 inches. 

 Vent to tip of tail, 13. Weight, 12 to 14 lbs. 



Remarks. In the English Regne Animal the genus Manis is said 

 to be devoid of external ears. Presuming the correctness of this 

 statement, I have indicated a remarkable peculiarity of the present 

 species by the specific name Auritus. The external ear, though small, 

 is perfectly distinct ; the helix having a breadth or free exsertion from 

 the head, of more than half an inch, and a longitudinal course of one 

 and an eighth inch, in a direction vertically transverse. In the cata- 

 logue, this animal is mentioned by the name of the short-tailed or 

 common Indian species, (M. Pentadactyla of Linn.) with which I then 

 supposed it to bs identical. It differs however very materially, not 

 only by the presence of ears, but by the much greater number of its 

 scales. In our animal, the longitudinal series consists of 23 for the 

 neck and body alone ; there being also 10 for the head, and 19 for the 

 tail. The Manis Javanica of Desmarest is said to have a series of 17 

 for the body only. I presume our's yet exceeds this number. The 

 general appearance of our animal is sufficiently assimilated to Cras- 

 sicaudata ; the body being rather full, though elongated, and the tail 

 shorter than the body, and very thick at the base. 



This latter member is flattened below; broadly convexed above; 

 and its scales are shorter and wider than those of the body. The feet 

 are pentadactylous ; the colour of the scales, earthy brown, and of the 

 nude skin, fleshly white. As I have been so fortunate as recently to 

 witness the gestation and parturition of this species, and have been 

 also enabled to note the animal's manners, with its anatomical struc- 

 ture, I purpose, ere long to give the results of these observations ; and 

 shall only add, on the present occasion, that if the incaution of authors 

 only has led to the assertion, that the genus is earless, and the epithet 

 Auritus affixed to our species thus cease to be characteristic, I would 

 then suggest the trivial name Plurisquamis, or the many-scaled. 



Genus Viverra. 



Subgenus, Mangusta, (Herpestes.) 



Species Auropunctata, mihi. 



Habitat, the Central Region. 



Mungoose. Of an uniform saturate olive brown, freckled with golden 



yellow, an aspect resulting from the five-fold annulation of each hair, 



with black and aureous ; cheeks, more or less rusty ; fur of the body, 



short, soft, and adpressed ; ^ an inch below os calcis furred ; size small ; 



2 h 2 



