36 SOUTH AFRICAN MAMMALS 



Genus MELLIYORA. 



Body thickset ; limbs and tail short. Soles of hind 

 feet naked to the heel. Claws powerful. 



Mellivora ratel. The Batel. Honing Das. 



The Honey-badger, as it is sometimes called, is 

 greyish-brown above, some individuals being greyer than 

 others. Below black with a pure white line on the side 

 of the body sharply dividing the grey from the black. 

 Total length about 2J feet. Tail about 9 inches. It is 

 found all over South Africa, although seldom seen, 

 owing to its nocturnal habits. It lives in caves, in 

 hollows, or cavities amongst rocks, or in a hollow tree 

 It eats almost anything from a snake to a fowl, and is 

 inordinately fond of honey. It is a somewhat fierce 

 little animal, and will vigorously defend itself against 

 the attack of dogs. Its powerful jaws and persistent 

 nature make it no mean enemy when wounded. 



The Zoo has not possessed many of these animals. 

 We had a fierce old male from the Sabi Game Keserves, 

 which lived in the gardens for more than a year, not- 

 withstanding a bad leg injured by the effects of the gin- 

 trap which deprived it of its freedom. In 1913, Mr. C. 

 Jones, of Nylstroom, sent us a young one, which is an 

 amusmg and tame little animal. He is wonderfully 

 insistent, and on one occasion kept on clawing at a brass 

 padlock, which w^as an old one, until it dropped open, 

 whereupon the little brute pushed open the door of its 

 caf^e and climbed on to the roof, where it was found 

 perambulating about, uttering its plaintive little whining 

 call. Two fine adult specimens, captured in the Busten- 

 burg district, were added to the collection in October, 1916. 

 One individual, presented by Mr. Fitzsimons of the Port 



