342 MAMMALIA : YEliJE. — LIII. 



Family CCI. MUSTELID^. (The Weasels.) 



Carnivora either phintigrade or di^itigrade, with the toes .^-S. 

 Molars ^^ (rarely \ \) ; the upper and the last lower one tuber- 

 cular; sectorial ])ri'niolar without tubercles; no c£Ecum. Most spe- 

 cies provided with glands near the anus which secrete a fetid liquid. 

 Some are strictly carnivorous, while others are rather omnivorous. 

 Size usually inrdiau or small ; the largest, the Sea Otter, being 4 feet 

 lon<T, the smallest weasels less than a foot. Mustelidae are found in 

 all j)arts of the earth excepting the Australian region. Some of 

 the species are acjuatic, and one, Latax lutris, the Sea Otter of the 

 North Pacific, inhabits the sea, the young born in the kelp. In 

 this family are many of the most valuable of fur-bearing animals. 



o. Skull with the cerebral portion swollen backwards and outward.s, the snout 

 short, hi);h and truncate forwards; toes webbed; the feet adapted for 



swininiiii^'; teeth 30; aquatic. (I.utrince.) Lutka, 597. 



aa. Skull with the cerebral portion posteriorly somewhat compressed, the 

 snout produced, attenuate and transversely convex above; feet scarcely 

 webbed; mostly non-aquatic. 

 b. Auditory bulla little inflated, constricted; last upper molar above quad- 

 rangular, very larf;e, with an outer cutting ridge ; claws non-retractile ; 

 fore-claws lengthened, fossorial. (Mephitince.) 

 c. Teeth 34; tail long and bushy; ana! secretion very strong-scented. 

 d. Skull not depressed, its upper outline irregularly convex; large 



skunks Mephitis, 5"J8. 



dd. Skull depressed, its upper outline nearly straight; small skimks. 



Spilooalk, 599. 

 bb. Auditory bulla much inflated, not constricted. 



«. Last molar of upper jaw enlarged, sub-triangular; toes straight 



with long, non-retractile claws. (.\feliucB.) 



f. Body robust; tail very short; teeth 32. . . Taxidka, fiOO. 



ee. Last molar of upper jaw short, transverse; toes short, arched, the 



claws retractile, {.^fusttlince.) 



g. Feet sub-plantigrade; body stout; tail very full and bushy; 



teeth 38 Gl'lo, COl. 



gg. Feet digitigrade; body slender. 

 A. Teeth -38; sectorial tooth with an internal tubercle. 



MiSTKLA, G02. 

 hh. Teeth 34; sectorial tooth without internal tubercle. 

 t. Pads of palm coalescent ; toes webbed, tail bushy. 



LCTKEOLA, 603. 

 ii. Pads of palm distinct; toes not webbed; fail slender. 



PUTOKIUB, 604. 



597. LUTRA I.innii'us. (Lat., otter.) 



1128. L. canadensis (Schreber). American Otter. Liver- 

 brown. L. 45. T. 15. F.. N. Am., acpiatic. Valued for its 

 fur. The CaroUnian Otter, if distinguishable, is subspec. lataxina 

 (F. Cuvier). 



