OCR Text |
Show 208 MR. W. A. FORBES ON T H E [Feb. 7, It is interesting to note that the genera of Viverrida with numerous anal glands and a large circumanal pouch are African, and especially South-African, like Hyana brunnea. The extreme geographical limits of the Viverrida seem to be France, Spain, Shanghai, Formosa, the Philippines, Celebes, Lom-bock, Madagascar, the Cape, and the north-western part of Africa- Cape Verd. . The most northern range in the continent of Asia appears to be that of Hyana striata in Asia Minor1. N o species of the Viverrida is so widely diffused as is Viverricula. ' Geograpically, then, as well as in some respects structurally, the Viverrida (apart from the Madagascar forms) seem to divide themselves into two great sections-one Asiatic and Viverrine, the other African and Herpestine. TheiEluroidea being considered as one whole, and Dr. Gray's twelve species of Paradoxurus and m y enumeration of Cats being provisionally accepted, we have a total of 5 species of iEluroids in Europe, 7 species in Madagascar, 11 species in America (all Cats), 46 species in Africa, and 68 in Asia, 7 of these being common to both Africa and Asia. Before long I hope to lay before the Society m y notes on some parts of the anatomy, and especially on the osteology of the JSlu-roidea. 2. O n some Points in the Anatomy of the Indian Darter {Plotus melanogaster), and on the Mechanism of the Neck in the Darters (Plotus), in connexion with their Habits. By W . A. F O R B E S , B.A., Prosector to the Society. [Received January 9, 1882.] It is to the late Prof. Garrod that we are indebted for our knowledge of the great differences in the anatomy of the digestive organs of the American2 (Plotus anhinga), and African3 (P. levaillanti) Darters. The existence of such differences in birds apparently so nearly allied made it very desirable to obtain a knowledge of these parts in the other species of the genus Plotus. On April 8th last, the Society obtained, by exchange from the Zoological Gardens of Calcutta, the first specimen of the Indian Darter (Plotus melanogaster) that it has acquired. The specimen, a 1 P. de Tchihatcheff in his 'Asie Mineure'(1856),2e partie, p.|602, reports good evidence of its existence in Asia Minor. He says:-" Je ne l'ai jamais observed a l'6tat vivant, mais dans plusieurs localites de la Phrygie, de la Mysie et du Pont, les habitants m'en ont positivement constate l'existence: d'ailleurs a Selevk6 (littoral de la Cilicie petr6e); une depouille de la Hycena striata m e fut montree par un chasseur Armenien qui m'assura d'avoir tue- l'animal dans les montagnes voisines." 2 P. Z. S. 1876, pp. 335-345 ; Scient. Papers, pp. 334-346, pis. xviii.-xx. 3 L. c. 1878, pp. 679-681; t. c. pp. 346-349. |