THE SLENDER-TAILED MEERKAT 
Yet another Bushy-tailed Meerkat, but of a 
different genus (Bdeogale crassicauda) is now regis- 
tered as one of the South African fauna, it having 
been procured south of the Zambesi, in Mossam- 
bique. It occurs chiefly in East Africa, north of 
the Zambesi. This species is distinguished by 
having four toes to both fore and hind feet. 
THE SLENDER-TAILED MEERKAT 
(Suricata suricatta) 
Syn.: S. tetradactyla 
Tus little animal is the typical meerkat of South 
Africa, and is known by all colonists as such. It 
inhabits the karoo portions of the uplands of the 
Cape Province right across from Namaqualand on the 
west to Griqualand East, and northwards through 
the Orange Free State and Great Namaqualand. 
In the Uitenhage and Alexandria Divisions of the: 
Cape Province it is quite common ; so much so that 
it has become a pest on many stock farms. 
This meerkat digs burrows out on the exposed 
karoo, and lives in small colonies. When perse- 
cuted by man they frequently wander off and live 
in pairs, seeking less exposed situations for their 
burrows. Like the Ground Squirrel and the Bushy- 
tailed Meerkat, they have the habit of sitting erect 
on their haunches and gazing curiously around. 
This habit of sitting erect is very pronounced, 
ae 
