500 CARNIVORES. 



m 



corresponding with the blade of the sectorial is sharper and more 

 produced, and the internal tubercle has two lobes : the succeeding 

 molar tooth is reduced in size and its crown presents a trian- 

 gular form. The first true molar below has its sectorial lobes 

 better developed : these differences give the North American 

 Badgers a more carnivorous character than is manifested by the 

 Indian or European species. 



186. 8ub-XJr sides. — In other alUed genera, which, like the 

 Badgers, have been grouped, on account of the plantigrade struc- 

 ture of their feet, with the Bears, a progressive approximation is 

 made to the type of the dentition of the Ursine species. The 

 first true molar below soon loses all its sectorial modification, 

 and acquires its true tubercular character : and the last premolar 

 above becomes more directly and completely opposed to its fellow 

 in the lower jaw. The Racoon {Procyon, PL 129, fig. 7) and the 

 Coati {Nasua, ib. fig. 8-13) present good examples of these transi- 

 tional modifications ; they have the complete number of premolar 

 teeth, the dental formula being : — 



Incisors -^ ; canines — ; premolars — ; molars — : = 40. 



The development of the inner part of the crown of the last upper 

 premolar, which constitutes the tubercle of the sectorial tooth, 

 now produces two tubercles on a level with the outer ones which 

 represent the blade ; (PI. 129, fig. 7 & 8, ^ 4) ; and the opposite 

 premolar below (fig. 11, p 4) which is the true analogue of the 

 modified sectorial above, begins to acquire a marked increase of 

 breadth and accessory basal tubercles. All the lower premolars, as 

 well as the true molars, have two fangs ; the three first premolars 

 above have two fangs, the fourth has three, like the two true 

 molars above. 



The dental formula of the Indian Benturong (Arctictis) and 

 Kinkajou {Cercoleptes) is : — 



o o 1—1 3 3 2—2 



Incisors — ; canines - — ; premolars — ; molars -— : = 36. 



The Benturong (PI. 129, fig. 14 & 15) differs from its South Ame- 

 rican analogue the Coati, not only in the absence of the anterior 



