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Show 1882.] AFRICAN MUNGOOSES. 73 Palate-breadth. 1*37 1*35 1-4-2 1-38 1*43 1*54 Inc. to cross line. 1*32 1*37 1*55 1*50 1*66 1*55 Basi-cranial axis. 1*20 1*31 1*53 1*46 - . This large species was first mentioned as long ago as 1661 by Flacourt, in his work on Madagascar *. It is there called " Vond-sira," which name forms the basis of Buffon's term " Le Vansire." Its reputed occurrence in Madagascar caused Dr. Gray and others to believe that there were two species, the one in Africa being naturally supposed to be distinct; but now, as no other specimens have since occurred in Madagascar, we are justified in concluding that Flacourt only saw an introduced specimen, and that it is not indigenous to that island. I have preserved Dr. Gray's H. robustus as a distinct variety, because the skulls show that there is a considerable difference in size between this eastern form and that found in the west and south. It unfortunately happens that the specimen of H. robustus in the Berlin Museum, the dimensions of the skull of which are given above, has no locality recorded for it, so that I do not know any thing about the extent of the range of this variety; the British-Museum specimen was obtained from the White Nile. On this species the genus "Athylax" has been formed ; but there does not seem to be sufficient reason for its separation from the typical Herpestes. It is just worthy of note that large specimens of Crossarchus obscurus are often so extremely similar in colour and proportions to small ones of this species, that an examination of the muzzle or skull is needed to show to which group they belong. The variation in the hairiness or otherwise of the hind soles of this species has already been referred to 2. As, judging from Smuts's account of its habits, Cuvier's name H. paludinosus, the "Marsh" Ichneumon, is correct for the ordinary naked-soled individuals, it seems probable that those with the hinder portion of the soles hairy live on a dry soil, where, one would imagine, they would not have to walk in so wholly a plantigrade manner as if they lived where the ground was soft and muddy and where a digitigrade animal would be liable to sink in at every step. Smuts says of //. galera3:-" This animal lives in marshy places, 1 ' Histoire de la grande isle Madagascar,' p. 154 (1061). a Above p. 67. 3 T. cit. p. 22. Skulls. a. S. Africa .... b. „ .... c „ cl. W . Africa. . .. Var. robustus. e. White Nile (type) /. No loc. (Berl Mus.). Length. 3*75 3*85 4*25 4*25 j- 4*55 ' i 4*52 Breadth. 211 2*13 .... 2*52 2*45 2*56 Palate length 2*15 2*16 2*45 2*38 2*60 2*65 |