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Show 70 MR. O. THOMAS ON THE [Jan. 3, Skulls. Inc. to Basi- Palate- Palate- cross cranial Var. gracilis. Length. Breadth, length, breadth, line. axis. a. Abyssmia(Blanford) 2*54 1*34 1*32 0*81 0*89 1*0 b. Natal (type of H. 1 2.55 V3Q Y.3l 0.81 o*90 - punctulatus) . . . . j Var. melanurus. c.Sierra Leone (Lord^.^ ,.32 1>40 Q.QO 0*90 - Derby) J Var. badius. c7. Mgunda Mkali (type 1 2.45 1>22 1<25 0.82 0*85 - ofH. grand) .... J nn n „„ e. S.Africa ... 2*5 1*27 1"29 0*80 0*85 0*96 Var. ochraceus. f Abyssinia (Hora),) 2.1C) 1>20 i.10 ? 0*78 - imm J This variable species appears to be the common small Mungoose of the whole of Africa. The distribution of its three principal varieties is somewhat interesting as so closely corresponding to the zoological subregions of Africa, as defined by Mr. Wallace in his < Geographical Distribution of Animals' \ Thus, the true H. gracilis is found from Cape Verd and Senegal across to Abyssinia and southwards to Natal, a range nearly exactly agreeing with the " East- African " subregion. I have seen no specimens of this species from Angola or Damaraland, so that I cannot say what, if any, form is found there; but, according to Mr. Wallace, we should also expect to find the true H. gracilis in that district. Again, the varieties melanurus and badius occur, the first all over the "West-," and the latter over the "South-African" subregions. It is true that specimens belonging to the true H. gracilis are sometimes, though rarely, found in both the other subregions, and H. badius occurs as far north as Zanzibar in the East-African subregion ; but these facts only show the necessity for regarding the various forms as varieties, and not as species, which they might fairly be considered to be if each was strictly confined to its own district. It will be seen by the above synonymy that the variability in colour of H. gracilis has caused the formation of a considerable number of untenable species. The asterisks prefixed to the names show that I have seen typical specimens of the greater part of these so-called species; and I do not think there can be much doubt in the case of any of them. In m y opinion, H. mutgigello, which at first sight seems so different from the rest, represents simply the unannulated form of H. gracilis, an intermediate state being represented by a typical specimen of II. iodoprymnus, Heugl., in the Leyden Museum. Of the other names, I am not quite certain whether H. adailensis, Heugl., should not rather be placed under 1 Vol. i. p. 258, and map, p. 250 (1876). |
