PLESH-EATING MAMMALS. 6i 



genus is represented by the large red Meller's mungoose (Rlnjncliogale 

 melleri)), easily distinguished from all the preceding members of the sub- 

 family by the absence of a vertical groove on the nose and upper lip. Each 

 foot IS furnished with five toes, there are four pairs of premolar teeth in each 

 jaw, and the under surface of the tarsus and metatarsus is hairy. The fourth 

 African genus (Grossarchtis) contains the five species of cusimanses, which 

 while resembling tlie last in the absence of a groove on the muzzle, differ by 

 having only three pairs of premolar teeth in each jaw, the flat bony palate of 

 the skull, and the naked soles of the hinder portion of the hind-feet. 

 Several of the species, such as ft 



fasciatus, have a number of dark trans- ^— — -~~^ 



verse bands across the back. Lastly, /^ "^\<J' 



the pretty little meerkat (Suricata 



tetradactyla) of South Africa differs _^ ■•if'; ,-jV. '"■».. 



from all the other smooth-nosed mun- *4*4S •! /■ .■ rfS-V' >-'**^- 

 goosos in having only four toes to each l»-"''jj''' "tJ* '' '"'■i?^ 



foot, and is further characterised by ,''.^' " !"."■% lj» V '"Tl** 



possessing three pairs of upper, and y "^^w '» V^v. -^'ij'-T'^'j 



four of lower premolars, as well as by '" """' t '' TiaihiiiiMifi"'t'r% l 

 the naked under surface of the whole '.fiSiJtif^^^^F'^^Smf^'9 



of the tarsus and metatarsus. The * ""f*- .^ 



muzzle is sharp, the front claws are , j- " ~ " 



very long, and the profile of the face is „. „. „ ^, 



■' ='„, '^ , , ^ ,, r Jio. 36.— Banded MUNOOOSE 



convex, ihe general colour of the fur {CnssarAus fasdaiui). 



is light grizzled grey, with black bands 



across the hinder part of the back, and a black ring round each eye. 

 Meerkats measure from 14 to 15 inches to the root of the tail ; and are viva- 

 cious little animals, living in holes in colonies, and coming out to air them- 

 selves in the sun, when they survey passers-by with a peculiarly inquisi- 

 tive expression. 



The Island of Madagascar is inhabited by four peculiar genera of raun- 

 gooses, three of which are more or less closely related to the Herpestince, 

 while the fourth certainly forms a sub-family by itself. From 

 all other members of the Viverridce, the two species of Madagascar 

 striped mungoose are distinguished by the numerous con- Mungooses. 

 tinuous dark stripes running down the whole length of tlie 

 back and sides. They have but three pairs of premolar teeth in each jaw, the 

 first of which is placed close to the canine ; and the canines themselves are 

 of large size. The five-toed feet have longer claws than in the typical mun- 

 gooses ; the muzzle is grooved interiorly; the tail is covered with elongated 

 hairs; and the under surface of the tarsus is bare. From the last, the elegant 

 mungoose {Galvlia elegans) may be distinguished by the smaller size of the 

 lower canine teeth, the presence of short sparse hairs oh the lower surface 

 of the tarsus and metatarsus, the uniform coloration of tlie body, and the 

 ringed tail. The two species of brown-tailed mungoose (HemiyiiUdia) differ 

 from the preceding by the presence of four pairs of premolars in each jaw, 

 the larger size of the second upper molar, the uniformly-coloured tail, the 

 more pointed form of the muzzle, and the smaller degree of curvature of the 

 claws. 



Finally, there is the small-toothed mungoose (Enpleres gondoti), distln- 

 suished from all other mungooses by the non-eversion of the hinder border 

 of the auditory bulla of the skull, and from the rest of the family by its very 



