8c; 



MAMMALIA. 



commonly held erect]. 



• f J kiTi! " 



Fig. 25. — Common Badger. 



Their toes are much enveloped in the skin ; and, what eminently distinguishes 



them, is a pouch situate heneath the tail, 

 from which exudes a fatty, fetid humour, [as 

 in the Skunks, Weasels, &c, to which the 

 Badgers are very closely allied]. The long 

 claws of their fore-feet enahle them to burrow 

 with much facility. 



The European Badger (Ursus meles, Lin.; M. 

 taxus, Auct.) — Greyish above, beneath black, with 

 a dusky band on each side of the head. That of 

 America (Mel. hudsonius [ (?) M. labradorius, Sa- 

 bine ; Ursus taxus, Schreb.] does not appear to 

 differ essentially. [It is even generically very dis- 

 tinct, pertaining' to the next division. A second 

 species of Badger, however, appears to me to ex- 

 ist in the Ba/ysaur of India (Arotonyx collar is, 

 F. Cuv. ; Mydaus collaris, Gray,) which M. F. 

 Cuvier has represented much too Hog-like in 

 his figure ; the snout being scarcely longer than 

 that of the European Badger, the fur somewhat 

 coarser, and the tail (which almost reaches the ground) not so scantily covered with hair as stated.* A 

 cranium figured as that of the Balysaur by Mr. Gray, in his published series of Gen. Hardwicke's drawings, 

 appears to me to indicate another species, distinguished by the long vacant interspace between the inferior canine 

 and first existing molar. This genus would seem to be peculiar to the eastern continent. 



The Taxels {Taxidea, Waterh.) — 



Are the reputed Badgers of America, but which present a very different cranium, and more carnivorous 

 dentition : their cutting molar is increased, and the tubercular reduced, to an equal size ; the latter 



having a triangular crown : skull widest at 

 the occiput, where it is abruptly truncated ; 

 the auditory bullae much developed; and 

 articulating surface of the lower jaw ex- 

 tended, but not locking as in the Badgers. 

 Their claws are longer and stouter, enabling 

 them to burrow with great rapidity. 



One only is clearly ascertained, the T. labra- 

 doria {Ursus taxus, Schreb.) Remarkable for 

 the fine quality of its fur. Dr. Richardson 

 has taken a Marmot from the stomach of this 

 animal. 



The Bharsiah (Ursotaxus, Hodgson). 



Four cheek-teeth above and below, com- 

 prising two superior and three inferior false 

 molars ; the tubercular of the upper jaw transverse, and smaller than the carnivorous tooth. General 

 conformation similar to that of the Badger, but without external ears . 



But one species is known (N. inauritus, Hodg., Asiat. Res. xix. 60, and Journ. As. Soc. v. 621), from the 

 vicinity of Nipal, scantily covered with coarse hair. It is completely plantigrade and fossorial, dwelling in bur- 

 rows on the southern slopes of the hills, which it seldom leaves during the day.] 



The Wolverines (Gulo, Storr) — 

 Have also been placed in the Bear genus by Linnaeus ; but they rather approximate the Martens in 

 their dentition and general character, according only with the Bears in their plantigrade gait. They 

 have three false molars above, and four below, anterior to the carnivorous tooth, which is well cha- 

 racterized ; and behind this a small tubercular, which is wider than long. Their upper carnivorous 

 tooth has but one small internal tubercle, so that they have nearly the same dental system as the 



Fig. 26.— Taxel. 



* There is a figure, in Bewick's Qundruprds, apparently of this t Tower Menagerie. The description intimates its near resemblance 

 species, taken from a seemingly unhealthy individual confined in the ( to the common Badger. 



