A  NEW  GENUS  OF  CARNIVORA. 
33 
In  addition  to  these  characters,  the  Cynictis  may  be  readily  distinguished  by  its  ex- 
ternal form  and  appearance  from  all  conterminous  genera.  It  has  a  short  head,  con- 
tracted suddenly  in  front  of  the  eyes,  and  forming  a  small  naked  muzzle,  divided  by  a 
longitudinal  furrow ;  the  ears  are  short  and  elliptical,  naked  inside,  and  directed  for- 
wards ;  the  body  long  and  slender ;  the  tail  bushy,  and  two-thirds  of  the  length  of  the 
body,  and  the  whole  external  form  and  appearance  not  unlike  that  of  a  Ferret  or  Ich- 
neumon.   The  temporal /o55«  are  separated  from  the  orbits  by  a  complete  rim  of  bone. 
I  propose  to  distinguish  the  animal  which  has  given  rise  to  these  observations,  by  the 
specific  name  of  Cynictis  Steedniannii,  in  compliment  to  Mr.  Steedman,  to  whose  enter- 
prise we  are  indebted  for  our  knowledge  of  this  unique  species.  The  following  are  the 
principal  dimensions  of  this  animal,  taken  from  the  skin,  and  measured  along  the  cur- 
vatures. 
Ft.  In. 
Length  of  the  head  from  the  muzzle  to  the  root  of  the  ear  ....  2^ 
Length  of  the  ear   f 
Breadth  of  the  ear   If- 
Length  of  the  body  from  the  muzzle  to  the  root  of  the  tail  ....    1  6 
Length  of  the  tail  10 
Height  at  the  shoulder   7 
Height  at  the  croup   7^ 
The  hair  is  of  a  moderately  fine  quality,  much  like  that  of  a  Dog,  smooth  and  close 
on  the  body,  long  and  bushy  on  the  tail.  The  general  colour,  as  well  as  the  whole  ex- 
ternal appearance  of  the  animal,  is  precisely  that  of  a  small  Fox,  bright  red  over  the 
entire  body,  head  and  extremities,  deep  and  uniform  on  the  back,  but  mixed  with  silvery 
grey  on  the  cheeks,  neck,  sides  and  tail,  arising  from  a  mixture  of  hairs  tipt  with 
grey,  and  dispersed  through  the  fur  of  these  parts.  The  breast,  belly  and  legs,  are 
unmixed  red ;  and  the  tail,  which  precisely  resembles  the  brush  of  a  Fox,  is  covered 
with  long  bushy  hairs  of  a  sandy  red  colour  at  the  roots,  dark  brown  in  the  centre,  and 
grey  at  the  points :  the  last  two  inches  at  the  tip  of  the  tail  are  uniform  dirty  white. 
The  hairs  of  the  body  are  not  annulated  as  in  the  Herpestes  and  Suricate,  and  they  are 
altogether  of  a  finer  and  more  furry  quality.  The  external  form  and  appearance  of  this 
animal  have  been  already  compared  to  those  of  the  Ferret  and  Egyptian  Ichneumon  ;  but 
it  probably  stands  higher  on  the  legs  than  either  of  these  species,  being  more  completely 
digitigrade ;  and  its  head  is  shorter  and  less  pointed.  The  specimen  here  described  was 
procured  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Uytenhage,  on  the  borders  of  CafFraria. 
In  consulting  the  works  of  travellers  through  the  Colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
I  have  been  able  to  find  but  two  notices  which  seem  clearly  to  refer  to  this  animal ;  one 
by  Dr.  Sparrman,  the  other  by  Mr.  Barrow.  The  first  of  these  authors,  in  the  English 
translation  of  his  Travels,  vol.  ii.  p.  184,  has  the  following  passage.  "  Two  other  small 
animals,  which  probably  likewise  belong  to  the  Viverra  genus,  I  had  only  a  hasty 
VOL.  I.  F 
