52 Zooloyical Society, 



P. breviccjis. 

 in. lin. 



Total length of skull 1 34 .... 



Length of nasal bones 5£ .... 



Length of frontal G\ .... 



.Length of palate 8 .... 



Width of skull 1 



Mr. Waterhouse then proceeded to point out some peculiarities 

 in the skull and dentition of the American Badger (Meles Labra- 

 dor to). Three skulls of this species, belonging to individuals of 

 different ages, were exhibited to the Meeting. " The most striking 

 peculiarity in the skull of the American Badger," observes Mr. Wa- 

 terhouse, " consists in the great expanse of the occipital region ; the 

 width of the occiput being equal to that of the skull measured from 

 the outer surface of the zygomatic arches. The general form of the 

 skull is almost conical ; viewed laterally, the outline of the upper 

 surface is most elevated at, or very near the occiput; thence it runs 

 downwards with a slightly convex curve to the nasal bones. The 

 interorbital portion is considerably contracted, and is narrowest pos- 

 teriorly. The occipital crest is well-developed, but the sagittal crest 

 is very slightly elevated ; in this respect differing from the corre- 

 sponding ridge in the Meles vulgaris. 



" The auditory bulla are very large and convex. The articulating 

 surface of the temporal bone, or glenoid cavity, like that of the Com- 

 mon Badger, has its anterior and posterior process ; these processes, 

 however, merely serve to prevent the protrusion or retraction of the 

 lower jaw, and not to enclose and lock the condyle as in that animal. 

 Comparing the lower jaw with that of the Common Badger, the most 

 striking difference consists in the form of the coronoid process. The 

 anterior margin of this process is less oblique than in the last-men- 

 tioned animal ; its apex is somewhat pointed, whereas in the Common 

 Badger it is rounded : the posterior margin is formed of two lines, 

 an upper one, running backwards and downwards from the apex of 

 the coronoid process, and a lower one, which is perpendicular, and 

 forms an obtuse angle with the first. In this form of the coronoid 

 process we perceive a similarity between the American Badger and 

 the Otter." 



Dentition. — " In the number of the teeth the present animal agrees 

 with the Common Badger, excepting that in the skulls now before 

 me, and which belong to animals of different ages, I do not find the 

 molar corresponding to the small first false molar of the lower jaw 

 of that animal. In the relative size and form of the teeth there is 

 much difference. The incisors of the upper jaw arc arranged in an 



