NORTH AMERICAN BADGER, MELES LABRADORIA, 347 
Length of face in front of the zygomatic arches . . . . 1 O 
of skull behind zygomatic arches (measured from 
the zygomatic arch to the ae of the occiput) 
Length of palate . 
Width of ditto between the free pair ‘a polars 
last pair of molars 
Total length of ramus of lower jaw 
Height of ascending ramus . 
Height of horizontal ramus, eisai pendath the tase fake 
—“-woOoond- 
= 
anv on bd 
molar . : . 0 
Length of carnassiére Pe upper jaw 0 
Width of ditto. : Es Siac 3 0 
Pacem Gf Mast MOAT gh) oui a. ict Sa siege te ee ON ae 
Width of ditto Suucwey Femi sceee rn l. 
Length of carnassiére of lower jaw 0 
Width of ditto. 0 
It will be seen from the foregoing description that the American Badger affords us a 
modification of dentition differing considerably from that of the common European spe- 
cies. This difference in the dentition, combined with the short, broad form of the skull, 
the truncated appearance of the posterior part (owing to the comparatively short extent 
of the portion behind the zygomatic arch), the large size of the auditory bulle, and the 
great extent of the occipital region, in my opinion should be regarded as indicating sub- 
generic characters rather than specific. The subgeneric name Tazxidea may therefore 
be applied to the ies Badger, = mia species as may hereafter be discovered 
with incisors é, canines = 5> false molars 5 5—>; the posterior false molar of the lower jaw 
with an anterior large ei and a ot ee smaller one ; molars 5— -— =; the carnassiere 
and the grinding molar of the upper jaw each of a triangular form, or tear so, and 
about equal in size. 
As regards the external characters, I may observe, that in addition to the differences 
of colouring and marking displayed by the Taxidea Labradoria and the Meles vulgaris, 
the former may be distinguished by the tip of its muzzle being hairy above, it being 
naked in the Common Badger, the fore limbs stouter, and the claws stronger, and also 
by the short, conical form of the head. 
The typical Mustelide have the true molars of the upper jaw transverse ; in the Skunks 
(Mephitis) it assumes nearly a quadrate form, and in Meles it is longer than broad ; the 
modification observable in the form of the molars of the upper jaw of Tazidea, therefore, 
furnishes us with an interesting link between Mephitis and Meles, whilst the former of 
these genera links the Badgers with Mustela and its subgenera. 
