232 MERISTIC VARIATION [part I. 



Galictis : ;>:], mk. Normal adults (G. barbara 8, vittata 4, alla- 

 mo it'll 2), 14 specimens. 

 *306. Gr. barbara, having minute extra anterior premolar (making 4) in 

 each lower jaw. B. M., 839, f. 



In 28 skulls Hensel found the following variations in premolars, 

 the molars being always ?/*.!• 



p - — , viz. the normal, 12 cases 

 o — o 



3—3 „ 



'■■1=2 6 » 



3—3 , 



' ; 3-2 3 



53 



3—3 

 * 2-3 



9 



- 1 5) 



2 3 3 2 4 4 2 2 3 4 



;i]s ° J ' J^2 ,P 3~r3' P 2--r P 2~~3' 7 ' 3^3 ea ° h ™ ° ne CaSG ' 

 Taken together therefore there were 12 normals with j>%, 16 cases of 

 greater or less reduction, and 2 cases of increase. Hensel 1 , Saugethiere 

 Sud-Brasiliens, p. 83. 



307. G - vittata: p 1 may be absent, especially from upper jaw. Bukmeister, Reise 

 durch d. La Plaata-Staten, Halle, 1861, n. p. 409 [this variation not seen by 

 Hensel]. 



Poccilogale: p|, m{. 3 specimens. 

 Mephitis : p!}, mh. 9 specimens. 



308. Conepatus: p$, m$. 12 specimens. Conepatus is the S. American representa- 

 tive of Mephitis, and normally differs from it in having one premolar less in upper 

 jaw. This tooth is sometimes present as a minute tooth making p% . Sometimes 

 on the contrary there is a premolar less in the lower jaw, giving p\. Coues, 

 Fur-bearing Animals of N. Amer., p. 192 and Note. 



In addition to the 12 normals mentioned two cases of pf were seen, viz. 

 C. mapurito, B. M., 88. 11. 25. 8, and C. chilensis, B. M. 829, a. In the former 

 the anterior premolar is of good size, but in the latter it is very rudimentary. 

 Another case mentioned by Baibd, Mamm. of N. Amer., p. 192. 



Mydaus : pf, ml. 4 specimens. 



*309. Meles : commonly pj-, m\. In M. taxus, the common Badger, 

 p } is frequently absent from one or more places. Of 36 skulls only 16 

 had p* in all jaws, 7 have it in each lower jaw and 2 had no such tooth 

 in either jaw. In remaining cases it was sometimes absent on right, 

 sometimes on left, sometimes from above and sometimes from below. 

 Some of these cases may be due to senile changes but this was certainly 

 not so in all. Absence from lower jaw seems the most common. 

 Hensel, Morph. Jahrb., 1879, v. p. 550. 



Of genus Meles the following were seen by myself. + means pre- 

 sence, — absence of p l . 



1 The numbers given by Hensel are the totals of p + m, but he states that 

 the variation always concerned the small anterior premolars next the canines. 



