1836.] New Mammals in Nipdlese Catalogue. 237 



of both species consists of snakes, rats, mice, eggs, small birds, and 

 grilli. 



Mr. Gray in some recent valuable remarks on the Viverridae, 

 observes, that the Mungooses have " long, slender, and free toes, and 

 anal pouches of greater or less depth." I have again and again exam- 

 ined fresh specimens of Nyula and of Auropunctata, with a view to 

 these assertions, but the result of my observations is that they are 

 almost wholly erroneous. Neither in the highland nor lowland ani- 

 mal is there any semblance of an anal pouch ; and the toes of both are 

 connected by a membrane as far forwards as the hinder edge of the 

 third phalanx. In Nyula, indeed the toes are elongated, and the hind 

 feet nearly nude to the heel. In Auropunctata, however, the toes have 

 but a medial length, and the fur reaches fully half an inch below the 

 point of the heel. 



The fact is, that the structure of the Mungoose, though digitigrade 

 upon the whole, is by no means typically so : and, in the slow stealthy 

 motion to which they are much accustomed whilst questing for their 

 prey, they use the plantigrade action. Their nails are fossorial in the 

 maia ; and, like most diggers, these animals incline somewhat to the 

 plantigrade structure and movement. In fact, they lead off from the 

 typical digitigrades towards the plantigrades, through the Paradoxuri, 

 the Gluttons and the Rattels ; still, however, retaining the shortish 

 toes and lengthened compact metatarsi of the digitigrades. 

 Tribe, Plantigrades. 

 Genus, Gulo. English Regne Animal. 

 Species new. Gulo Nipalensis, mihi. 

 Habitat, Central region of Nipal. 



G. Above, earthy brown : below, with the edge of the upper lip, the 

 insides of the limbs, and terminal half of tail, yellow ; a white 

 mesial stroke from the nape to the hips, and a white band across the fore- 

 head, spreading on the cheeks and confluent with the pale colour of the 

 animal's lower surface : head and body vermiformed ; digits and nails of 

 the anterior extremities stronger ; half way from the os calcis to the 

 fingers, hairy ; fur of two sorts, and abundant, but not lengthened 

 or harsh, nor annulated : tail, cylindrico-tapered, pointed, half the 

 length of the animal ; snout to rump, 1 6 inches ; tail, 1\, or 9 with the 

 terminal hair. 



Remarks. In the catalogue, this animal is identified with the Gulo 

 Orientalis of Java (apud Horsfield), which is at all events, the insular 

 analogue of our's. The cheek teeth are || and the animal conse- 

 quently belongs to genus Gulo, as defined in the English Regne 

 Animal. 



