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Show 1882.] AFRICAN MUNGOOSES. 81 III. BDEOGALE. T Bdeogale, Peters, Reise nach Mossamb., Saug. p. 119 (1852) B. crassicauda. Range. East Africa (Mozambique, Zanzibar) ; ? West Africa (Gaboon). Toes 4 - 4 . Teeth and other characters as in Herpestes, with especial resemblance to those of the subgenus Ichneumia (see above, p. 77). In Dr. Peters's original description, he states that on the fore feet there is only a minute rudiment of a first metacarpal, and on the hind feet not even this trace of the normal first toe. In a spirit specimen of B. puisa in our collection, I cannot even find the rudimentary first metacarpal, so that this individual is absolutely without any remnant of the first digit. The following are the three species which have been described as belonging to this genus; but it must be confessed that the two M o zambique species are very closely allied to each other; and as to the West-African one, 1 have already stated m y belief that it is only a synonym of Herpestes albicauda; but not having had the opportunity of examining the type, I put it provisionally in its place here, with Dr. Pucheran's short diagnosis appended. 1. BDEOGALE CRASSICAUDA. * B. crassicauda, Peters, torn. cit. p. 120, Taf. xxvii. (1852). Hab. Mozambique (Tette-Boror). Characters much as in B. puisa (described below), except that the tail is distinctly longer in proportion, and the tail-hairs, which are very long, have their basal halves white and their terminal black, while in B. puisa they are uniformly blackish brown. The last molar also in the present species seems to' be proportionally somewhat longer, judging from Dr. Peters's excellent figures. Dimensions. Head and body. Tail. Hind foot. a. Mozambique (type) 17*0 10*6 3* 15 Skull. Length1. Breadth. Palate-length. a. Type (from Peters) 3*15 1*79 1*96 2. BDEOGALE PUISA. * B. puisa, Peters, torn. cit. p. 124, Taf. xxviii. (1852). Hab. Mozambique (Mossimboa) (Peters); Zanzibar (Kirk). Size rather large ; form slender ; tail short, not half so long as the head and body. Underside of the hind foot thickly hairy to the base of the toes. General colour dull brownish, with or without annulations. Underfur tawny yellow, long and soft. Limbs 1 Prom front of jaw to foramen magnum. PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1882, No. VI. 6 |