tip being abraded. The dark-coloured example is 18 30 inches from the muzzle to
the root of the tail, and the tail is 9-20 inches long.
In the type, the sutures of the skull have all disappeared, and yet the orbit
is incomplete; but, from the circumstances in which the animal lived, it would be
premature to accept the character of the orbit as determined by the skull of this
captive Mungoose. The skull has a strong resemblance to the skull of S . pallidus,
to which and S . auropunctatus it is very closely allied, and for which it might even
be mistaken if the orbits were complete. The notched character of the posterior
border of the palate is only a modification of the arched form which occurs in
this genus, and which may be traced in a series of specimens leading into and ending
in a straight, transverse border asin-ff. a/u/roptmctatus. But the form of the posterior
border of the palate is so variable that I would hesitate to resort to it even for
specific characters. The last inferior molar is markedly tricuspidate.
The vertebral formula is 0, 7, D. 13, L. 7, S. 3, C. 26 = 56. The axis is
strongly ridged inferiorly, the ridge terminating posteriorly in a tubercle which is
partially divided in the succeeding vertebrae, but both cease on the sixth segment,
The spinous processes of the dorsal vertebrae are proportionally longer and more
backwardly directed than in the much smaller H. awropv/nctatus. Anapophyses
begin on the tenth and metapophyses on the eleventh dorsal vertebra, the former
disappearing on the penultimate lumbar. In the caudals, the transverse processes
become gradually transferred from the middle to the posterior ends of the bodies,
which latter position they occupy in the sixth vertebra, on which the secondary
transverse process makes its appearance, finding its fullest development in the
tenth caudal and disappearing later than the true transverse processes. The latter
are strong and well developed to the sixth, and bear a small process on their upper
surface, near their free ends, which first shows itself on the third caudal, and gradually
approaches the base of the transverse process as it shortens, till at last on the
eighth caudal it is transferred to the posterior end of the centrum and occupies
the position of an anapophysis and can be detected to the tenth vertebra. The
zygapophysial facets cease on the sixth, but processes serially homologous with
them can be detected as far as the seventeenth vertebra, The neural canal ceases at
the sixth segment. Haemapophysial nodules begin on the seventh caudal, and occur
to near the extremity of the tail, but it is probable that the anterior chevron bones
have been lost in the preparation of the skeleton. The sternum has seven pieces, in
addition to the manubrium which is essentially Serpestme, but with the anterior
projection not so long as in S . smithii. The limb bones are genetically the same
as in other Herpestes.
This species, as far as is known, is peculiar to Ceylon.
H e k p e s t e s p a i u d t j s , Wagner. Plate VIII, figs. 9 & 1 0 .'
Mangoustc de Malacca, F. Cuv. Hist. N a t des Mammif. Tome I 8. Livr. v8. Avril 1819
f Ichneumon grisem, Geoff. Descript, de l'Egypte Hist. Nat. v o lS l (1818) p 188
fferpectec gnccu, Desm. Mamm. 1880, p. 818; Sykes, Proc. Zool. Soe. Lond. 1881, p. 108: Ogilby
Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1835, p, 101 ; Cantor, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. 1846, p. 242; Gray, Voy!
Samarang Zool. 1850, p. 15; Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, p. 553, et Cat. Carniv. Mamm.
B. M. 1869, p. 151; Horsf. Cat. Mamm. E. Ind. Co/s Mus. 1851, p. 90; Kelaart, Prod IB B H B Soc. Beng. 1852, p. 849 ; Cat. Mamm. As. Soc
Mus. 1868, p. 5 1 ; Jerdon, Mamm. of Ind. 1867, p.' 152 ; Stoliczka, Joum. As. Soc. Beng-
1872, p. 682; Blanford, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1874, p. 662.
Herpestes frederici, Desm. Diet. Sc. Nat. 1828, vol. xxix. p. 60.
Mangusta malaccensis, Fischer, Syn. Mamm. 1829, p. 164.
Mmgusta grisea, Fischer, Syn. Mamm. 1829, p. 164.
Herpestes nyula, Hodgson, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. vol. v. (April 1836.), p. 286; Calcutta, Joum. Nat
Hist. 1844, vol. iv. p. 287; Gray, List, Mamm. Brit. Mus. 1843, p. 52; Cat. Mamm. Nenal
and Tibet, Brit. Mus. 1846, p. 8 ; Horsfield, Cat. Mamm. E. Ind. Co. Mus. 1851 p 92
Mmgusta mungos (et Caffra?), Elliot, Madras Joum. Lit. and Sc. 1889, vol x p 102
Herpestes pallidus, Wagner, Schreber, Saugeth. Suppl. vol. ii. 1841, p. 311,' pi. cxvi. G • Schin7
Syn, Mamm, 1844, vol. i. p. 373. ’ ’
Herpestes malaccensis, Blyth, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xxi. 1852, p. 349 (in part); Cat. Mamm As
Soc. Mus. 1863, p. 51 (in part); Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, p. 555; Cat. Carniv'
Mamm. Bnt. Mus. 1869, p. 153.
Calogale nyula, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, p. 560, et Cat. Carniv. Mamm. B. m S s 6 9
p. 158.
Herpestes fimhriatus, Temm. Esquisses Zool. 1853, p. 112.
A careful consideration of the types of S . nyula in London, leads to the conclusion
that they are only young examples of B . palUdm, Wagner; and the series of
B . palhdus in the British Museum and in the India Museum, London, as also in
the Indian Museum, Calcutta,'prove that the species is the subject of considerable
variation in colour and in the character of the handing of the hair. The fur of the
young has seemingly finer and more numerous annuli than in the adult, and this
appears to hold true of the other Asiatic Berpestes, whereas the difference of colour
manifested by this species may he due to seasonal changes which may present subordinate
modifications distinctive of the two sexes. But, moreover, the colour of the
fur of the animal is also influenced by the surroundings among which it lives, because
this is undoubtedly the case with B . auroptmctatus, which is rich olive-brown in
Nepal; pale, almost yellow-white, about Agra; and dark olive-brown in Cachar and
Upper Burma.
In this species, the hair is rather harsh and much longer on the hind quarters
than on the antenor portion of the body, and in. its loose, open character, it is very
different from the soft, adpressed hair of B . mropmctatm. On the hind quarters
m the adult, it is 2'50 inohes long, and on the root of the tail 3 inches, slightlv
chmimshing in length towards the tip, which is in no way tufted, and on which the
hair is 2-50 inches long. The silky pile is brownish towards its base and yellowish
On the plate the skull o f this species is figured under the name H . griseus.