OCR Text |
Show 1882.] PROF. ST.-GEORGE MIVART ON THE ALUROIDEA. 149 (52) There is no plate-like process on the outer side of the radius. (53) There is no oval patch of conspicuously-enlarged papillae on the dorsum of the anterior part of the tongue. (54) Ascending ramus of mandible not flattened beneath. (55) Tail long. (56) Anterior premolars not greatly elongated. The next genus comprises only the Rasse, for which the genus Viverricula has been instituted * by Hodgson, who says that it differs from species of the genus Viverra, which never climb, by its scansorial habit. It is also distinguishable from Viverra by its smaller size, smaller snout, and by a very small bald spot on the tibial side of the plantar pad, noticed by Gray 2and figured by Hodgson \ The alisphenoid canal is almost .always absent; the bulla is, as Professor Flower says4, "large, as wide in front as behind, much elongated, narrow, and compressed laterally. The anterior chamber is rather more developed, and less distinctly marked from the posterior." The postorbital processes are longer than in Viverra ; and the skull is greatly compressed behind them. The paroccipital process does not depend below the bulla. The pollex and hallux are shorter, not reaching to the distal end of tbe adjoining metatarsal and metacarpal. The character of the dentition is intermediate between that of Viverra and that of Genetta. ^ may have only three cusps. The Rasse has a most extensive geographical distribution, having been obtained in China, Foochow, Formosa, Amoy, Gangootra, Camboja, Singapore, Nepal, Madras, Ceylon, Penang, Java, Lombok, Bombay, Socotra, Madagascar, and also from the Comoro Island Anjuan5. The Rasse has been described at length, and manyinteresting details concerning it given, by Horsfield in his ' Zoological Researches in Java' (1824), with a figure of its external form, representations of which will be found in F. Cuvier's 'Mammiferes,' vol. ii.; also in Sonnerat's 'Voyage,' vol.ii. p. 144, pl. 91; andinPollen's 'Faunede Madagascar,' p. 16, pl. 10. Its dentition, both immature and adult, is given on plate xii. of De Blainville's 'Osteographie ' (Viverra). Its foot-pads are represented by Hodgson, Calcutta Journal of Natural Hist. (1842), vol. ii. pl. 1. fig. iv. As might be expected from its wide distribution, the Rasse varies greatly in colour and markings, similarly coloured varieties coming from widely separated localities. There is in the 1 Journal of Asiat. Soc. of Bengal (1841), vol. x. part 2, p. 909. See also Gray, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 513, and Brit. Mus. Cat. of Carnivora (1869), p. 47. 2 Brit. Mus. Cat. p. 47. 3 Calcutta Journal of Nat. Hist. (1842), vol ii. pl. 1. fig. iv. •» P. Z. S. 1869, p. 18. 6 The animal Irom this island has been described and figured by Dr. Peters in his ' Mossambique.' Dr. Gray threw out the suggestion that this individual might be of the genus Fossa; but Dr. Peters has been kind enough to inform m e that such is not the case, but that it is identical with Pollen's Viverra schlegeli, which appears to me to be a variety of the widely diffused Viverricula malaccensis. Dr. Peters remarks to m e : - " If not identical with, it is very near that species." |