FLESH-EATING MAMMALS. 



59 



ii-VWShf-- 



Fig. 24.— Palm-Civet 

 (Paj'arfoxwrws). 



while the other two are Oriental. The two species of African palm-civets 

 {Nandmia), one of which is from the west, and the other from the east side 

 of the continent, agree with Hemigale in the form of the naked area on tiie 

 metatarsus, but differ in the incomplete ossification of the auditory bulla of 

 the skull. Otherwise the genus is very similar to the true i)alm-civets the 

 noarking taking the form of spots, and the tail being ringed. The two species 

 of small-toothed palm-civets (Arctogale), from Burma and the Malayan 

 countries, differ from the preceding genus in the uniformly-coloured tail • 

 and are further distinguished by the relatively small size of the teeth the 

 narrow palate, which is produced far behind the last molar, and the ossifica- 

 tion of the bulla of the skull. The dark mai kings take the form of longi- 

 tudinal rows of stripes or spots on the back. Represented by ten species, the 

 true palm-civets (Paradoxurus) range 

 throughout the Oriental countries from 

 India to the Philippines and Celebes, 

 and are distinguished from the last by 

 their larger teeth, the less prolonga- 

 tion of the palate backwards, and the 

 presence of a naked glandular area in 

 front of the scrotum of the males, and 

 in a similar position in the females. 

 Like Arctorjale, they have the whole of 

 the metatarsus and a considerable por- 

 tion of the tarsus bare, tho hair ex- 

 tending in an evenly curved line across 

 the hinder part of the heel. The claws 

 of the five-toed feet are as curved and 



retractile as in the genets ; the tail is long and generally not ringed ; the 

 markings are usually in the form of elongated streaks, although more rarely 

 spots, but some species are uniformly coloured ; and the pupil of the eye 

 contracts to a vertical slit. The teeth are numerically the same as in Viverra, 

 but the carnassials relatively shorter and less trenchant. In size these 

 animals may be compared to an ordinary cat. Palm-civets are essentially 



nocturnal, and arboreal creatures, feed- 

 ing upon small birds, mammals, eggs, 

 and lizards , and frequently taking up 

 their abode among the leaves of palm- 

 trees. From their habit of drinking 

 the palm-juice,or toddy, from the vessels 

 suspended from the trees for its recep- 

 tion, they are termed toddy-cats. 



From all other members of the family, 

 thebinturong(^rr((cf/s fo/Mho'Ojij/), rang- 

 ing from the Efistern Himalaya to the 

 Malayan countries and Siam, differs 

 by its prehensile tail and tufted ears, 

 as well as by the tarsus and meta- 

 tarsus of the plantigrade hind-feet being completely naked. The ears are 

 short, the short claws only partially retractile, the hair very long, coarse, and 

 loose, and the long tail very bushy ; the general colour being black. The 

 binturong, which may be compared in size to a cat, is a thoroughly nocturnal 

 and arboreal creature. 



Fig 35.— The Binttteono 

 (Arctictis binturong). 



