86 CARNIVORA. 
being generally continued along the spine towards the tail, and by its more reddish- 
grey tinge of colour. This dorsal line, however, is more or less interrupted in different 
specimens; and the minor cranial characters, on which Professor Baird relied in his 
specific separation of 7. berlandieri*, are stated by Dr. Coues to be negatived by the 
examination of a larger series of skulls®. There seems therefore to be little doubt 
that that gentleman and Mr. Allen are correct in treating the Mexican Badger as a 
local race of 7. americana. : 
The American Badger appears to be common in the Northern and North-eastern 
States of Mexico, especially, according to Dr. Berlandier, in Nuevo Leon and Tamau- 
lipas; but I have not been able to trace its range further to the south. Dr. Coues 
states that Berlandier’s manuscripts contain “several biographical notices—nothing, 
however, to indicate any differences of moment in its habits as compared with those of 
T. americana” ®. 
6. LUTRA. 
Lutra, Erxleben, Syst. Reg. An. p. 445 (1777). 
Of this well-known and very widely distributed genus several Neotropical species 
have been described. Of these the only one positively known to inhabit our sub- 
region may be easily known by its small size, its proportionally long tail, and by the. 
form of its naked muffle, which is broad transversely and distinctly biconcave above, 
its upper margin forming a double curve with a sharp middle angle, thus ~—~~—. 
Other Otters have been recorded as natives of Central America, but, as will be seen 
presently, on very doubtful evidence. 
1. Lutra felina. 
Mustela felina, Molina, Sagg. Stor. Nat. Chili, p. 284 (1782, descr. orig.)’. 
Nutria felina, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1865, p. 128”; Cat. Carn. &. Mamm. p. 106°. 
Lutra felina, Coues, Fur-bearing Anim., p. 301°. 
Lutra chilensis, Bennett, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 1 (descr. orig.)°; Tomes, op. cit. 1861, p. 279°. 
Lutra californica, Gray, Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 2, i. p. 580 (descr. orig.)’. 
? Lutra brasiliensis, Frantzius, Arch. f. Naturg. xxxv. 1, p. 288 (nec F. Cuvier)*. 
? Lutra canadensis, Frantzius, tom. cit. p. 289 (nec Turton)’. 
Perro de agua of Guatemalans. 
Nutria of Costa-Ricans °°. 
Hab. Norra America, Pacific slopes, from Alaska ? 4.—Mextco, Orizaba (U.S. Nat. 
Mus.4), Tehuantepec (Sumichrast, ib.4); Guaremana, (U.S. Nat. Mus.) Santana 
Mixtan, Coban (Godman & Salvin, Mus. Brit.®); Costa Rica (Frantzius 8°); 
Panama (Boucard, Mus. Berol.).—Sovutu America to Chilit. 
All the Central-American Otters which I have seen, and all those examined by 
