NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



and bladder-like, and is without any internal partition, the 

 paroccipital process is prominent, and although in contact 

 with the bulla is not applied to it, as is the case with the 

 genera Felidae and Viverridae. Another anatomical differ- 

 ence is the presence of a long and coiled caecum at the junction 

 of the large and small intestine. 



The molar teeth are triangular in shape, and nearly always 

 two in number. 



This family is world-wide in its distribution. 



Species 

 (Inhabiting South Africa) 



1. Canis mesomelas, Schreb. 



2. Canis adustus, Sund. 



3. Vulpes chama, A. Smith. 



4. Otocyon megalotis, Desm. 



5. Lycaon pictus venaticus, Burch. 



5a. Lycaon pictus zuluensis, Thos. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7), 

 xiv. p. 98 (1904). 



Division : ARCTOID^ 



Family : MusxELiDiE 

 {Otters, Ratels, Muishonds, Weasels, Martens., etc.) 



Carnivorous animals with elongated bodies, short legs, and 

 usually provided with glands for the secretion of an un- 

 pleasant, musky-smelling fluid for defensive purposes. 



The members of this family, with one exception, may be 

 distinguished by having one pair of upper and two of lower 

 molar teeth, and by the inner part of the upper molars 

 being longer from base to front than the outer side. The 

 exception is the Ratel, which has a single pair of molars in 

 the upper and lower jaws. 



The members of this family inhabit all the continents, 

 with the exception of Australia. They are also absent in 

 Madagascar. The species comprising the family are ex- 

 ceptionally numerous in the temperate regions of the Northern 

 Hemisphere. 



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