MUSTELINES. 495 



relative thickness of the crowns of most of the teeth, and a larger 

 development of the tubercle of the upper sectorial tooth ; ib. fig. 2. 

 P 4(1). 



The Martin-Cats {Mustela, Cuvier), have an additional premolar 

 at the beginning of each series, their dental formula being : — 



Incisors — ; canines — : premolars — ; molars — : = 38. 



3—3 ' 1— 1 ' -"^ 4—4 ' 2—2 



The canines are shorter and stouter, and the upper true molar 

 (PI. 128, fig. 5, m 1) has a larger crown than in the Stoats. The 

 inner tubercle also exists in the lower sectorial (ib. fig. 6, m 1) but 

 is relatively smaller than in the Zorilles. 



The Wolverenes and Gluttons, {Gulo, PI. 128, fig. 7), have 

 the same dentition, numerically, as the Martins, but have relatively 

 stronger canines, and no inner tubercle on the lower sectorial tooth 

 (ib. fig. 9, m 1) : their habits answer to this resumption of a more 

 carnivorous type of dentition. 



The Skunks, {Mephitis and Mydaus,) with the exception of the 

 Mephitis Humboldtii, (PI. 128, fig. 11) which, wants the first upper 

 small premolar, have the same dentition, numerically, as the Stoats ; 

 but the internal tubercle of the upper sectorial (fig. 11, p 4,) 

 is so much more developed that the crown assumes a triangular 

 form: the true molar (fig. 11, m 1.) which follows, surpasses the 

 sectorial in size, and has a broad, quadrate and quadrituberculate 

 crown. In the lower jaw the omnivorous character is manifested 

 by the assumption of a tubercular crown and the almost total 

 loss of the sectorial form by the first true molar, w^hich supports 

 six small tubercles ; three on the inner border, two on the outer 

 border, and one behind. 



The dental formula of the Otter (Lutra) is : — 



3 3 1 I 4 4 J J 



^^- ^5 ^'~i' P^' i="3 • ^- iZ^J = ^6- (PI- 12^' %• 4.) 

 The first premolar, (p I) very small and single-fanged, lies close upon 

 the inner side of the strong canine, and is not visible from with- 



(1) See the excellent description, by Prof. T. Bell, of the Galictis vittata, in the Trans. 

 Zool. Soc. vol. II, p. 201, PI. 35 & 36. He assigns, however, 2-2 premolars to the upper jaw, 

 as M. F. Cuvier does in his dental formula of Putorius, regarding the upper sectorial as the 

 corresponding tooth to the lower sectorial. 



