FAUNA AMERICANA. 57 



Of the six inferior molars, the first is rudimen- 

 tal, linear, scarcely apparent; the three follow- 

 ing flattened laterally ; the fifth being largest and 

 having three sharp points. 



Body thick set, low upon the legs; snout some- 

 what elongated ; ears short and round ; eyes very 

 small ; tongue smooth ; feet five-toed, armed with 

 strong nails ; tail very short ; a pouch between 

 the anus and tail, having a transverse orifice, dis- 

 charging a fetid matter ; hair coarse and long. 



Habit. Analogous to bears. Inhabit Europe, 

 Asia, and North America. 



Species. 



1. Meles labradoria^ American badger, Sabine's 

 appendix to Capt. Parry's Voyage to the Polar 

 sea, p. 649, who proved it a distinct species from 

 the " Meles vulgaris,'''' of Desmarest, with which 

 it had been confounded by all previous authors. 



Desmarest remarks, (vide Mammalogie, p. 173) 

 " Le carcajou figure par Buffon dans ses supple- 

 ments. (Encycl. pi. 38, fig. 2.) Ursus labradoricus. 

 Gmel. est un vrai blaireau du pays desEskimaux, 

 il en est venu en France qui avoient ete pris en 

 Canada.-' 



Char. Essent. Colour of the animal above, 

 ferruginous brown ; a broad whitish longitudinal 

 line divides the head above into two equal parts, 

 and is continued along the back ; lower surface of 

 the fore feet, black. 



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