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Show 90 MR. O. THOMAS ON THE [Jan. 3, species possesses a third pair of upper molars behind the two normal ones. The presence of this extra pair of teeth however, is, shown to be of no specific or generic importance by the fact that in a second, quite identical, specimen collected at the same time and place (Bogos-land, Abyssinia), there are only the two usual pairs of upper molars. 4. CROSSARCHUS FASCIATUS. Viverra ichneumon (3, Schr. Saug. iii. p. 430, pl. cxvi. (1778). V. mungo1, Gmel. Linn. S. N. i. p. 84 (1789). Herpestes mungo, Desm. M a m m . i. p. 211 (1820). H. fasciatus, Desm. Diet. Sci. Nat. xxix. p. 58 (1823). ^Ichneumon tcenionotus, Smith, S. Afr. Quart. Journ. ii. p. 114 (1835). Ariela tcenionota, Gray, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 565 (1864). Hab. S.E. Africa (Caffraria to Mozambique2). Size medium; form stout. Tail rather more than half as long as the head and body. General colour grizzled grey, the posterior half of the back with cross bands. Longer hairs ringed with black and yellow or dark rufous, the posterior half of each light ring being always rufous. The rings somewhat broad, so that the transverse body-bands are also broad, there being about 3g to the inch, counting both light and dark bands. There are altogether about 12 or 13 bands; but they merge so gradually into the rest of the body-colour that they cannot be exactly counted. Underfur grey-brown. Neck, chest, and belly uniform grizzled grey, like the upper part of the head and shoulders, not rufous as in C. zebra. Feet and tail like body, but becoming gradually nearly or quite black towards their distal parts. Skull comparatively broad and heavy, the teeth larger than in any other species, P.M4 more than 8 mm. long, last molar small. Dental percentage 57-59. Dimensions. Head and body. Tail. Hind foot. a. Cape 13*0 8*0 2*8 b. Natal (type of I. tcenionotus) .. 12*0 7*0 2*4 Skulls. Basi- Palate- Palate- Inc. to cranial Length. Breadth, length, breadth, cross line. axis. a. S. Africa (Dr. Smith).... 2*84 1*67 1*51 *98 *99 1*05 6. S. Africa (Dr. Smith).... 2*79 1*45 1*45 *92 1*00 *96 1 This name is so utterly barbarous, and that of H. fasciatus so well known, that I think we are justified in ignoring it and using Desmarest's classical and appropriate term. a Two specimens, said to be " Herpestes fasciatus," are recorded from Angola in the ' List of Animals in Zool. Soc. Coll.' 1879, p. 62; but as neither of these is still living and nothing has been preserved of them, I cannot say whether they really belong to this species, to C. zebra, or to some und escribed form. |