MrSTELID-li. 79 



Fain. (>. MUSTELIDyE. 



Head elongate. Nose simple, undcrsurface fluted, with a central 

 longitudinal groove. Tubercular grinders one on each side of upper 

 and under jaws. Feet rounded ; the toes short, curved, more or less 

 united by a web at the base, the last joint bent up ; the claws short, 

 compressed, acute, retractile. 



Mustehdre, § Acauthopoda, Gray, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 100. 



In my paper describing some little-known Mammalia, in the first 

 volume of Charlesworth's ' Magazine of Natural History,' p. 579, 

 published in 1837, I used the forms and number of the pads on the 

 feet of Mephitis to divide it into three genera, and also showed the 

 importance of observing the size of the bald parts of the soles of 

 the feet in distinguishing the species of Otters ; and in the ' Pro- 

 ceedings of the Zoological Society' for 1864 I have used the excellent 

 character which the form of the bald part of the sole affords for the 

 separation of the genera of Viverridce. 



The only naturalist who seems to have followed up the subject is 

 Mr. Hodgson, who, in his paper " On the Tibetan Badger " in the 

 ' Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal ' for 1847, has given, in 

 t. 31 , figures of the under part of the feet, showing the form and 

 disposition of the pads, of eight species of Indian Viverridce, Miiste- 

 lidce, and Ursidce. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



Tribe 1. Mustelina. Head oblong. Toes slightly webbed. Tail 

 cylindricid. Tcn-cstrial. 



A. Digitigrade. Soles oftJie kind feet hairy, with four bald pads in 

 front. Body elongate ; anal ylands developed. Tail slender ; tnher- 

 culur yrinder short, transverse. 



* Teeth 38. 



1 . Maetes. False grinders |. Head elongate. Feet very hairy ; 



space between the pads hairy, the hairs often covering them 

 from sight. 



•* Teeth 34. 



2. PuTORirs. False grinders i. Head short, ovate. Feet and 



space between the pads very hairy. Body stout ; underside 

 blackish. 



3. MusTELA. False grinders f . Head elongate, narrow. Feet- 



space between the pads very hairy. Body slender ; underside 

 yellow or white. 



4. YisoN. False grinders f. Head elongate, narrow. Feet 



slightly hairy; pads exposed. Body rather slender : under- 

 side same colour as upper. 



