560 On a new genus of the Plantigrades. [July* 



V. — On a new genus of the Plantigrades. By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. 



In your 52nd No., for April 1836, 1 described, summarily but care- 

 fully, fourteen new animals of this kingdom, including, with those 

 priorly. described by myself in various numbers of your Journal, and in 

 the Society's Transactions, all the mammals then known to me as 

 inhabitants of Nepal*, of which descriptions had not been given by 

 others. To General Hardwicke, science is indebted for an account 

 of the Ghoral antelope, and of the yellow-necked marten : to Messrs. 

 Vigors and Horsfield, for an account of the Nipalese Cat. But I 

 am not aware that any more mammals of Nepal had been given to the 

 world, when I commenced the task of recording them ; and I believe 

 I have added essentially to the correctness of the descriptions of those 

 three. The Mulsampra or yellow-necked marten (of Boddaert, by 

 the way, originally) had always been stated to be a mustela merely. 

 By the examination of its skull I ascertained that it belonged to the 

 subgenus Martes. In like manner, the Nemorhcedine Ghoral had 

 been alleged to have suborbital sinuses — a mistake which I corrected. 

 This gradual emendation of the record of species is the necessary 

 fruit of continuous attention ; a fruit that ripens slowly with the recur- 

 ring sunshine of opportunity ; for, with so many things to note in 

 every animal, it is odds but the specimen or the observer will be 

 wanting somewhere, if there be no room or inclination for reiteration. 

 I speak apologetically for myself, and, on the present occasion, 

 purpose to correct some errors and deficiencies in the descriptions of 

 No. 52 of your Journal. 



Two animals are there described by the names of Gulo Nipalensis, 

 and Gulo Urva. The latter proves not to be a Gulo, but an osculant 

 new form between Herpestes and Gulo, which, I shall now endeavour to 

 do justice to, previously amending the statement of the colors of the 

 former as follows. 



Gulo Nipalensis, nobis. Glutton, above, saturate glossy brown ; 

 below, with a dorsal line extending from the middle of the head nearly 

 to the hips ; a transverse band drawn obliquely across the brows to 

 the middle of the cheeks ; and the terminal third of the tail, brilliant 

 orange yellow. Superior and inferior colors strongly contrasted, 

 occupying the lateral as well as inferior aspect of the head, but the 

 inferior only of the face, neck and body. Edge merely of the upper 

 lip, paled : inner margin of the ears the same, and both concolorous 



* See the recent Systematic Catalogue transmitted to the Curator of the 

 Museum. It contains ytf species and varieties, of which 45 are, I believe, new. 



