17G 



Bengal. Its chief localities, however, would appear to be still fur- 

 ther east in Assam, Sylhet, Arracan, &c., Hodgson considered 

 the one he found in the Terai to differ, but this opinion has not 

 been upheld." 



Page 18, No. 15, Mellivora Indica. 

 " Indian Badger. 



Jerdon thus describes at page 79 the Indian badger, ratel, or 

 honey-bear as it is sometimes termed. 



Description. " Above, tawny white or light-grey, black on the 

 sides and beneath ; tail short. 



Length of one, head and body 26 inches ; tail, 6. Another 

 measured 32 inches ; tail, 5. 



The Indian badger has long been considered as the Cape ratel, or 

 honey-eater, but was recognized as distinct by Schinz : and Blyth, 

 who, in his catalogue, joined the two, has written me from England, 

 where he has seen both alive, that he now considers them sufficient- 

 ly distinct. The Indian animal wants the marked white stripe that 

 exist in the Cape species, between the grey of the upper parts and 

 the black lower surface ; and its tail is decidedly shorter. 



The Indian badger is found throughout the whole of India, from 

 the exteme south to the foot of the Himalayas, chiefly in hilly dis- 

 tricts, where it has greater facilities for constructing the holes and 

 dens in which it lives. 



The Cape ratel, Mellivora ratel, is said chiefly to live on honey, 

 of which it is stated to be immoderately fond. The European 

 badger, Meles taxus, is one of the best known animals of this group." 



Page 18, No. 16, Lutra Nair. 



"Indian Otter. 



The following extract from a letter, signed W. C. R., which was 

 published in the Meld about the end of 1868 (last year,) and des- 

 cribed flyfishing on the Bowanee river, between the foot of the 

 Neilgherries and the Coimbatore District, is interesting. I must 

 however say, that until reading it, I always fancied otters had not 

 the slightest dread of crocodiles and, from what I had seen of an 



