longitudinal groove. The
remaining forms have the nose more or less produced, with its under
side convex, and a space between the nostrils and the upper lip
covered with closely pressed hairs, and without any median groove. The
South African _Rhynchogale muelleri_, a reddish animal with five toes
to each foot and 4/4 (abnormally 5/5) premolars, alone represents the
first genus. The cusimanses (_Crossarchus_), which differ by having
only 3/3 premolars, and thus a total of 36 teeth, include, on the
other hand, several species. The muzzle is elongated, the claws on the
fore-feet are long and curved, the first front toe is very short; the
under surface of the metatarsus naked; and the tail shorter than the
body, tapering. Fur harsh. Includes _C. obscurus_, the cusimanse, a
small burrowing animal from West Africa, of uniform dark-brown colour,
_C. fasciatus, C. zebra, C. gambianus_ and others. Lastly, we have
_Suricata_, a more distinct genus than any of the above. The dental
formula is as in the last, but the teeth of the molar series are
remarkably short in the antero-posterior direction, corresponding with
the shortness of the skull generally. Orbits complete behind.
Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 15, L. 6, S. 3, Ca. 20. Though the head is short
and broad, the nose is pointed and rather produced and movable, while
the ears are very short. Body shorter and limbs longer than in
_Herpestes_. Toes 4-4. Claws on fore-feet very long and narrow,
arched, pointed and subequal. Hind-feet with shorter claws, soles
hairy. Tail rather shorter than the body. One species only is known,
the meerkat or suricate, _S. tetradactyla_, a small grey-brown animal,
with dark transverse stripes on the hinder part of the back, from
South Africa.

The names _Galidictis, Galidia_ and _Hemigalidia_ indicate three
generic modifications of the _Herpestinae_, all inhabitants of
Madagascar. The best-known, _Galidia elegans, is _a lively
squirrel-like little animal with soft fur and a long bushy tail, which
climbs and jumps with agility. It is of a chestnut-brown colour, the
tail being ringed with darker brown. _Galidictis vittata_ and _G.
striata_ chiefly differ from the ichneumons in their coloration, being
grey with parallel longitudinal stripes of dark brown.

Considerable diversity of opinion prevails with regard to the serial
position of the aard-wolf, or maned jackal (_Proteles cristatus