the orbits. The length of the alveolar surface is greater than in either S . pallidus,
or S . maccarthice, and slightly in excess of that of S . smithii. The teeth are also
larger than in these two species, especially the canines, which are considerably larger
than in the last mentioned. The posterior prolongation of the palate is slightly
longer and broader than in S . maccarthice, although in this respect S . smithii
closely approaches S . jerdonii. Its posterior margin, instead of forming a transverse
line, or an arched border, as in S . pallidus,. sends out a slightly backward projecting
shelf of bone with a rugged margin, whereas in a specimen of S . smithii the
same border is somewhat similarly formed, but concave instead of being convex,
whilst in S . maccarthice it is rather deeply notched; but this is only a modification
of the arched palatine border which occurs in S . pallidus, and does not merit the
importance which Dr. Gray has attached to it. The ridges from the post-orbital
processes of the frontals curve first forwards and inwards, and then inwards and backwards,
the two ridges only meeting behind the post-orbital contraction, and this, be
it remembered, occurs in a fully adult skull. However, it is improbable that this
is a specific character, as this part of the skull from the very nature of the ridges
must be the subject of considerable variation; doubtless the extent to which the
post-orbital contraction is carried is also variable. These are the only features which
seemingly separate the skull of S . jerdonii from the skulls of the other species, and
these little-pronounced characters indicate how closely all these forms are related
to each other. All the sutures of the skull have disappeared with age and the
orbit is entire.
I t would appear from a statement of Kelaart’s1 that Sir Walter Elliot was the
' first to r e c o g n i s e this species which, so long ago as 1 8 5 2 , he had indicated in M.S.
as S . monticolus, the name adopted for it by Jerdon.2
This form occurs in Southern India, and is apparently the Mungoose which
ranges ’ to the north-west, even to Kashmir, where it constitutes the S . thysanwrus,
Wagner, which has been described as “ S . mi/nor, pilis fusco et pallide luteo-
(mnulatis ; pedibus fuscis, cauda longa pencillio magno aterrimo termmata.” I t has
also been obtained in Singhbhoom by Mr. V. Ball.
H e r p e s t e s f t j s c t j s , Waterhouse. Plate VIII, figs. 1 & 2.
Herpestesfuscus, Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud. 1888, p. 55; Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 466;
Wagner, Schreber, Saugeth. Suppl. vol. ii. (1841), p. 808; Schinz, Syn. Mamm. vol. i. (1844),
p. 872; Blyth, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. 1852, vol. xx. p. 849; Cat. Mamm. As. Soc. Mus. Beng.
1868, p. 52; Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, p. 554; Cat. Camiv. Mamm. 1869, p. 162;
Jerdon, Mamm. of Ind. 1867, p. 136.
The type of this species is in the British Museum. I t is a large Mungoose
measuring 17*50 inches from the tip of the muzzle to the root of the
1 Prod. Fauna, Zeylan. 1852, p. 44.
* I t is closely allied to H . ichneumon, Wagner, from Egypt, which is apparently identical with S . phardensis,
Desm., which does not appear to differ from H. cafra, Licht. (Saugeth.) from North Africa, nor from S . icidringtonii,
Gray, from Spain. The fur is alike on all o f these supposed speoies, and the tail is black-tipped in all.
tail. The tail without its terminal hair is 13-25 inches, and with it 2-25 inches
longer."
The coloration is dart, as in Herpestes trachywms of Malacca, but the fur is
much longer and resembles that of H.palUdm, to which it is much more closely
allied. The under pile is thick, and the long hairs haye their tips all black, preceded
by a narrow yellow band, followed by three, broad, black bands separated from
each other by two, narrow, yellow bands, the base of the hair being yellow. The
narrow character of the yellow bands is the cause of the dark colour of the fur
which is markedly speckled. The yellow bands are broader on the tail, and theni
are seyen brown bands, including the narrow apical ring, and six yellow bands, the
base of the hair being yellow. The hairs on the head are yery short and the aLm-
lation yery fine. The upper surface of the fore feet is darker than the rest of the
body, and the hair is scarcely annulated, while on the hind feet it is wholly dark-
brown. The claws on the fore feet are elongated and curyed,—doubtless the result
of confinement,—while the hind claws are short and strong. The upper two-thirds
of the tarsus are clad. The under surface of the throat is rufous-yellow, yery
faintly speckled, but the hairs of the chest and belly are nearly as much annulated
as on the upper parts, and they are more rufous. The hairs on the sides are 1-50
inch in length, while on the base of the tail they are 3-25 inches long. The tail
is concolorous throughout, and like the body, and is of the same character as in
S . pallidus.
The skull is an enlarged representation of S . pallidus, and the orbit is
doubtless perfect in the adult, as the two processes are closely opposed in this skull
and touching, although the sutures are not entirely obliterated; the frontal, squamo-
malar, maxillo-frontal, and nasal sutures being more or less intact, whereas all the
others have disappeared. The nasal portion of the palate is rather short and broad.
Th^e is a small cusp at the anterior border of the second and third premolars, but
the tendency to form such a cusp is evinced by other species of the group, but to a
much less extent. The last lower molar has three permanent, anterior cusps, behind
which is the posterior half of the tooth. The skull conforms more to S . pallidus,
Wagner, than to S . vitticollis, Bennett, and S . brachyurus, Gray, and it is closely
allied to S . jerdonii, Gray.
This species inhabits Southern India and Ceylon.
H e r p e s t e s ja v a n ic t j s , Geoffroy.
Ichneumon javanicm, Geoff. Descript, de 1’ Egypte, 1818, Hist. Nat. vol. ii. p. 188 No. 5 • Des-
marest, Nouv. Diet, d* Hist. Nat. 1818, vol. xix. p. 214.
Ichneumon ruber, Geoff. Descript, de 1* Egypte, 1818, Hist. Nat. vol. ii. p. 139, No. 6 • Desm.
Nouv. Diet. 1818, vol. xix. p. 215; Mamm. 1820, p. 213; Desmoulins, Diet. Class, vol iv
p. 179.
Herpestes javanicus, Desm. Mamm. 1820, p. 212; Muller, Over, de Zool. van den Ind. Arch. 1889
p. 2 8 ; Wagner, Schreber, Saugeth. Suppl. 1841, vol. ii. p. 809, pL 116c; Schinz, Syn. Mamm!
vol. ii. (1844), p. 872; Cantor, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xv. 1846, p. 241; Gray, Yoy. of