152 
Mammals of Eastern Asia 
tail 6 to 7y% inches. In the typical form there is a brown spot at 
the roots of the whiskers, and the hind foot measures 2% to 
2% inches ; in a smaller race, H. m. sorella, found in Fukien, 
the said spot is absent and the length of the foot is only 1% 
inches. A second small race, H. m. taxilla, is found in the hills 
of Laos and Tonkin. The race on Formosa is H. m. subcuiiran- 
tiaca. Animals of unusually large size, H. m. ferrogrisea, which 
have the length of the hind foot 2% inches, occur in Hupeh 
Fig. 32. Ferret Badger, Helictis moschata. 
and Szechwan. The Burmese animals, distinguished as H. m. 
millsi, have the skulls of slightly different form. They are found 
between 3000 and 5000 feet. 
The Large-toothed Ferret Badger, Helictis personata, 
sometimes split off as the subgenus Melogale, varies from 
deep brown to pale fawn-brown. The whitish dorsal stripe with 
its edging of dark brown, contrary to that of Helictis moschata, 
extends from the crown at least to the middle of the back. The 
tail includes numerous white hairs. There is a whitish face 
"mask" that connects with the white underparts. The nose and 
eye patches are dark. A dark area crosses the head from ear to 
ear. 
The length of the head and body varies from 13 to 16 inches, 
