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Show 68 MR. O. THOMAS ON THE [Jan. 3, other specimens of both species there is no ban* at all on the soles from toes to heel. And as to the length of the hallux m the: hairy-soled forms of the two species its claw reaches to within 23 and 0*27 in. from the most anterior point of the large central foot-pad while in other specimens these measurements average 0*52 and U 04 in rpsr)GctiV6iV "With regard to the habits of these large Mungooses, the manner in which if. ichneumon destroys the eggs of the crocodile is well known ; and there is no doubt that it is of considerable use to the country in this way. Smuts1 says of H. coffer:-This animal lives in many parts of the Cape colony, mostly in holes in the earth. It feeds principally upon mice, the smaller birds, and amphibians, and is often kept in'a state of domestication on account of the services it renders in destroying these animals." 3. HERPESTES GRACILIS. a. Typical variety. *H. gracilis, Riipp. N. Wirb. Abyss, p. 29, pl. viii. fig. 2 (1835). *H. mutgigella, Riipp. t. cit. p. 29, pl. ix. fig. 1 (1835). _ Ichneumia nigricaudatus, Geoff. Mag. Zool. 1839, p. 18 (1839;. H. galinieri, Guerin, Ferret & Galinier, Voy. Abyss., Atl. Zool. pl. i. fig. 1 (juv.) (1847-48). *H.punctulatus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1849, p. 11 (1849). H. lefebvrei,T)es Murs & Prev., Lefebvre Voy. Abyss., Atl. Zool. pl. i. (in text H. gracilis) (1850). *H. ornatus, Peters, Reise nach Mossambique, M a m m . p. 117, pl. xxvi. (1852). H. ochromelas, Puch. Rev. et Mag. Zool. vu. p. 39b (185o). *H. iodoprymnus, Heugl. Nov. Act. Ac. Leop. xxix. p. 23 (1861). H. adailensis, Heugl. Peterm. Geogr. Mittheil. 1861, p. 17 (1861). H. mutscheltschela, Heugl. Reise N.O. Afr. ii. p. 41 (ex Rupp.) (1877). H. ruficauda, Heugl. Reise N.O. Afr. ii. p. 43 (1877). Hab. East-African subregion-from Cape Verd round by Abyssinia to Natal. b. Variety melanurus. *Cynictis melanura, Martin, P. Z. S. 1836, p. 56 (1836). Hab. West-African subregion-Sierra Leone to Cameroons. c. Variety badius'. ^Ichneumon ratlamuchi et cawi, A. Smith, App. Rep. S. Afr. Exp. p. 42(1836). 1 Euum. Mamm. Cap. p. 20, 1832. 2 I have used this name in preference to either of Dr. Smith's previous names for this variety, because not only is it more classical and extremely appropriate, but Dr. Smith himself proposed the alteration, and therefore there can be no injustice in ignoring his earlier names. |