ICTONTX. 
239 
In 1836, Lichtenstein published a paper on the Skunks, recognizing the African 
Zorilles as a distinct species under the name of Mephitis africana. He gave a full 
account of the confusion caused by former writers in confounding this animal with the 
somewhat similar animal found in America, and admitted having fallen into the same 
error himself when writing the ‘ Darstellung ’ a few years previously, where he called 
the African animal Mephitis zorilla. 
In 1838, Wiegmann wrote his ‘Archives Naturgeschichte,’ in which he gave a most 
excellent treatise on the weasel kind, placing the various genera—even the Katel 
{Mellivora ratel) —in their true relationship, and creating a new genus {Bhahdogale) 
for the African animal, recommending “ Gestreifte Wiesel,” or “ Striped Weasel,” 
as a popular name, so as to avoid the confusion with the American animal, which had 
pre-emptive right to the term Zorille. Wiegmann evidently did not know of Kaup’s 
previously published work. 
In 1840, Wagner wrote the second volume of his Supplement to Schreber’s 
‘ Saugethiere,’ using the term Bhahdogale mustelina for this animal and giving a good 
history of what was then known of the different forms. Unfortunately the plates 
illustrating this work had been prepared some years previously, and the plate 133 a, 
representing this species in two different forms, bears the name Mustela zorilla. The 
lower figure is undoubtedly meant for the Cape species, and the upper figure is 
probably intended for the smaller rather differently marked form, which he mentions 
as having been obtained by Hr. Pruner on the Upper Nile. A second plate (133 b) 
bears the name Bh. multivittata and represents an animal almost the counterpart of 
that described by Sundevall as Ictonyx frenata from Sennaar, %—I. lihyca, Ehrenb. 
The most important synonymy of the South-African species is as follows:— 
Ictonyx capensis, Kaup. 
Viverra striata, var., Shaw, Gen. ZooL, Mamm. vol. i. pt. 2, 1800, p. 387, pi. 94 (fig. sup.). 
Viverra zorilla, Thunb. Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. 1811, p. 306 (partim). 
Mustela zorilla, Desm. Enc. Meth., Mamm. 18.20, p. 181 (nota, nec fig.) ; Riipp. Neue Wirbelth., 
Sang. 1836, p. 35; M^agner, Schreb. Sang. Suppl. pi. 133 a (1835,Sherborn). 
Mephitis zorilla, Licht. Darst. Sang. t. 48. fig. 2 (1827-34). 
Putorius zorilla, A. Smith, S. Afr. Quart. Journ. ii. 1834, p. 84. 
Ictonyx capensis, Kaup, Thierr. i. 1835, p. 353; Sundev. K. Vet.-Ak. Hand!. 1842, p. 214. 
Mephitis africana, Licht. Abh. Akad. Berlin, 1836, p. 284. 
Rhabdogale mustelina, Wagner, Schreb. Saug. Suppl. ii. 1841, p. 219; Heugl. Eeise N.O.-Afr. ii. 
1877, p. 39. 
Zorilla variegata, var. a. capensis, var. /S. senegalensis, Lesson, Mamm. 1842, p. 71. 
W. E. DE W, 
