354 



CARNIVORA 



hind foot about 25 mm.) ; auditory bulla strongly inflated, the 

 highest region near middle of bulla proper (exclusive of meatal- 

 tube) and so broadly rounded as not to form a longitudinal 

 ridge, the region between highest portion and meatus not notice- 

 ably concave ; teeth smaller than in Meles meles (lower molars 

 together about 20 mm. in length), with smaller cusps tending to 

 be more strongly developed ; metacone of m^ relatively larger 

 than M. meles, so that breadth (jf crown through this cusp is as 

 great as or greater than that through paracone ; colour as in 

 Meles meles marianeiisis or slightly ^laler. 



Measurements. — For cranial and dental measurements see 

 Tables, pp. 351, 353. 



Specimens examined. — Four, all from Crete. 



>5, ?. Lassethe, 2,820 ft. Crete. Miss D. Bate (c). 5.12.2.16-17. 



(5. 12. 2. 17. Type of species.) 



skull. Katharo, Crete. Miss D. Bate (c). 5. 12. 2. 38. 



?. Crete. H. 0. Jones, R.N. (c). 99.6.13.1. 



Sub-Family LUTEINS. 

 1857. Lutiin;v Baird, Mamm. North Amer., p. 148. 



Geographical distribution. — Nearly cosmopolitan ; absent only 

 in the Antarctic and high Arctic regions, Madagascar, Australia 

 and the Pacific Islands. 



Characters. — Teeth of the same general type as in the 

 Melinse ; skull much flattened, and rostrum so shortened that its 

 length is less than its width ; external form long and slender, 

 the fur very dense, the legs unusually short ; toes webbed, the 

 claws short or absent ; tail long and highly muscular. 



BemarJcs. — The family Lutrinse., the members of which appear 

 to be essentially badgers modified for semi-aquatic life, contains 

 four genera, one of which occurs throughout Europe from 

 Ireland eastward. 



Genus LUTRA Brisson. 



1762. Ltitra Brisson, Eegnum Animale in Classis ix distrib., 2nd ed., p. 13 



{Lutra Brisson = Mustcla Intra Linnseus). 

 1780. Liitra Briinnich, Zoologiae Fundamenta, p. 34. First use of name 



by an author following the Linntean system (Mustcla liiira). 

 1806. Lutris Dumeril, Zoologie Analytique, p. 12 (Modification of Lutra). 

 1817. Lutrix Rafinesque, Analyse de la Nature, p. 59 (Substitute for Lutra). 

 1843. Lontra Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., xi, p. 118, February, 1843 



{Lutra canadensis Schreber). 

 1843. Latax Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., xi, p. 119, February, 1843 



{Lutra lataxina F. Cuvier). Not Latax Glager, 1827. 

 1843. Lataxina Gray, List Spec. Mamm. Brit. jNIus., p. 70 {L. mollis Gray 



= Lutra lataxina F. Cuvier). 

 1857. Lutra Blasius, Saugethiere Deutscblands, p. 236. 

 1865. Barangia Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loudon, p. 123 {B. sumairana Gray 



= Lutra barang F. Cuvier). 



