342 



CARNIVORA 



Geograplrical distribution. — Northern temperate portions of 

 Old World ; in Europe from central Scandinavia to the 

 Mediterranean, and from Ireland eastward. 



Characters. — Skull narrow and high (depth of brain-case 

 much more than half mastoid breadth), the zygomatic arches not 

 widely expanded, and postorbital region not specially narrowed 

 (distance from point of greatest narrowing to zygoma less than 

 breadth of postorbital constriction) ; rostrum elongate, the 

 distance from orbit to gnathion about three-fourths length of 

 brain-case ; auditory bulla elevated along inner margin, but else- 

 where somewhat flattened, the meatal tube distinct ; paroccipital 

 process robust, standing out conspicuously behind bulla ; dental 

 formula : i ||, c t], jmi ti,* m ^^ = 38 ; teeth not specially enlarged 

 as compared with width of rostrum and palate (greatest trans 

 verse diameter of upper carnassial equal to a little more than 

 one-third distance between carnassials) ; three small premolars 

 (one upper and two lower) capable of trenchant action ; upper 

 carnassial with crown triangular in outline, the cutting portion 

 consisting of a single large antei'ior cusp with its slightly developed 

 anterior commissure and more distinct posterior commissure, the 

 crushing portion represented by the obliquely sloj^ing inner base 

 of this cusp and ridge ; upper molar rhombic in outline, its crown 

 area about three times that of carnassial, its greatest diameter 

 in axis of tooth- row, the four primitive cusps present ; lower 

 carnassial with the three anterior cusps well developed, sub-equal, 

 the posterior heel decidedly larger than anterior triangle ; 

 external form heavy, the head pointed, the ears short but plainly 

 visible, the body thick, the tail short, not muscular ; feet sub- 

 plantigrade, the toes with long fossorial claws and without webs ; 

 fur coarse and loose. 



Reiiiarlcs. — The genus Meles contains about half a dozen 

 named forms, the status of several' of which is at present not 

 clearly understood. Two species occur in Europe. 



KEY TO THE EUROPEAN FORMS OF MELES. 



Maxillary tooth-row, exclusive of incisors, about 

 35 mm. ; auditory bullae rather strongly in- 

 flated, the inner Isorder not ridge-like (Crete) M. arcalus, p. 352. 

 Maxillary tooth-row, exclusive of incisors, about 

 40 mm. ; auditory bullae slightly inflated, the 

 inner border ridge-like (distribution general) M. mcles, p. 343. 

 General colour moderately jpale ; teeth averaging 

 ' smaller, less frequently attaining maximum 



size (Central and southern Europe) M. m. meles, p. 348. 



General colour slightly paler ; teeth averaging 

 larger, and more frequently attaining maxi- 

 mum size (Iberian Peninsula) M. m. marianensh! , p. 352. 



* In adults usually '-p-" owing to the early disappearance of the small 



