OF THE PENINSULAR REGION. 27 



Subfamily HEKPESTIN^. 



Genus "Herpestes. 



The Mongooses have the body slender, muzzle pointed 

 and naked, ears short and rounded, tail tapering and covered 

 with long coarse hair. The claws are long, straight, non- 

 retractile, and the eye is, as a rule, completely ringed with bone. 

 The species are carnivorous and terrestrial, living in holes. 



Malay name " Bam bun." 



Key to the Species. 



A. Pelage speckled throughout. 



a. Size larger, head and body more than 15 inches : 



naked sole extending to heel: fur long and 

 rather ragged ... ... H. MUNGO. 



b. Size smaller, head and body not more than 



15 inches : naked sole not extending to heel : 



fur short and fairly even ... H. A. BIRMANICUS. 



B. Pelage not entirely speckled. 



a. Colour blackish brown, tail considerably less 



than half the length of head and body 



H. BRACHYURUS. 



b. Colour reddish-brown, tail rather more than 



half the length of head and body H. JAVANICUS. 



5. ;: HERPESTES MUNGO (Gmel). The Common Indian 

 Mongoose. Blanford, p. 123. 



Greyish-brown speckled whitish throughout, paler below ; 

 sometimes a ferruginous tint on head and feet or ferruginous 

 throughout. Long hairs of back annulated dark and light, 

 four or five rings of each. Naked portion of soles narrow at 

 heel. Head and body about 16 inches, tail about 14 inches. 



The Peninsula, but range unknown. 



R. A. Soc, No. 53, 1909- 



