HEBPESTID^). 



143 



Length of skull (rather imperfect) 



nose 



zygoma and orbits 



palate 



Width of brain-case over ears _. 



'—• nose at front of orbit 



Length of tooth-line of canine and grinders . . . 

 lower jaw 



™.3 

 ll 



Wg 



in. 1. 

 ?2 10 



10 



1 5 

 1 4 

 l-2i 

 8 



9* 



1 9 



_!_ 



in. 1. 

 3 



8i 



1 

 1 lOJ 



o 



a 



in. 1. 

 3 li 



S\ 



1 1 



2 



in. 1. 

 2 11 

 1 



1 3 

 1 5J 

 1 3 

 7i 



11 



1 lOi 



Fam. 8. HERPESTIDiE. 



Tubercular grinders two on each side in the upper, and one ia 

 the under jaw. Nose flat and bald, beneath with a central longi- 

 tudinal groove. The hind feet slender ; underside bald, or more or 

 less covered with scattered hairs. The toes slender, fi-ee, com- 

 pressed, straight, slightly hairy j the claws exserted, exposed, blunt 

 at the end. The body elongate ; legs generally short. The fur is 

 generally harsh, grizzled. The back is not crested. The tail conical 

 or cyhndrical, hairy, not dark-ringed. The anal pouches shallow, 

 or not present. The orbit of the skuU complete, or only slightly 

 imperfect on the hinder edge. 



Viverridse (Oynopoda, or Dog-footed Viverridse), Gray, P. Z. 8. 1864, 



p. 646. 

 Herpesteacea, Gray, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 547. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



Tribe 1. Herpestina. Head elongate, conical ; taU conical or cylin- 

 drical. 



* Front claws elongate, compressed ; back streaked. 



1. Galidictis. Toes 5 . 5. Tail subcylindrical, covered with long 



hair. Back striped. 



** The front claws short, compressed; back grizzled ; Jlesh-tooth long, 

 narrow. 



2. Heepestes. Toes 5 . 5. Tail conical, with long hair. Teeth 



moderate. 



3. Athtiax. Toes 5 . 5. Tail conical, with long hair. Teeth 



very large. 



4. Caiooale. Toes 5 . 5. TaU cylindrical, elongate, covered with 



shortish hairs ; tip pencilled. 



