202 U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



TAXIDEA AMERICANA. 



American Badger. 



Ursvs taxvs, SCHREBER, Saugt. Ill, 1778, 520, fig. 142, IJ. (From Buffon.) 

 titles laxus, var. americanus, BODDAERT, Elenchus Anim. I, 1784, 136. 

 J\Ide$ amerifanw, (" BODD.") ZIMMERMANN, Pennant's Arktische Zoologio I, 1787, 74. 

 Ursvs labradorius, GM. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 102, 

 KERR'S Linnaeus, 1792, 187. 

 SHAW, Gen. Zool. Mamm. I, 1800, 469 ; pi. cvi. 

 Jlleles labradoria, METER, Zool. Archv. II, 1796, 45. 



J. SABINE, App. Narr. Franklin's 1st Journey, 1823, 649. 

 HARLAM, F. A. 1825, 57. 

 GRIFF. Cuv. V, 1827, 116. 

 RICH. F. B. A. I, 1829, 37 ; pi. ii. 

 FISCHER, Synopsis, 1829, 151. 

 WAGNER, Suppl. Schreber, II, 1829, 182. 

 ACD. & BACH. N. A. Quad. I, 1849, 360 ; pi. xlvii. 

 Torus labradoricvs, SAY, Longs' Exped. I, 1823, 261, 369. 

 ? Taxidea labradoria, WATERHOUSE, Pr. Zool. Soc. VI, 1838, 154, (probably T. Serlandieri.) IB. Trans. Zool. Soc. 



II, V, 1841,343, pi. 



HAM. SMITH, Int. Mamm. Jard. Nat. Lib. XIII, 1842, 210. 



Melts jeffersonii, HARLAN, F. A. 1825, 309, (based on description of Lewis and Clark.) 

 American badger, PENNANT, Syn. Quad. 1771, 202. IB. Hist. Quad. 1781, No. 298, /?. IB. Arctic Zoology, I, 1784, 



71. (Leverian Museum.) 



Badger of Colutnbia river, LEWIS & CLARK'S Travels, II, 1814, 177. 

 Le Carcajou, F. Cuv. Suppl. Buffon, I, Mammif. 1831,268. 



SP. CH. Head grizzled gray, black on the end of snout, and along the eyes. A median white line from near the nose to 

 the nape. Legs and a crescentic patch before the ears black. Cheeks and under parts generally white. 



The body is very stoutly built and depressed ; the tail short, about one fourth the length of 

 body, well clothed with long stiff hairs. The hair in summer is coarse throughout, without any 

 wool i it is of considerable length on the back and sides (three or four inches.) The muzzle is 

 naked at the extreme end, or around the nostril, and on the septum ; its top and sides are, 

 however, hairy, as is the space between the border of the nostrils and the edge of the upper lip. 

 The ears are short, erect, pointed, and covered with coarse hairs on both sides. The fore claws 

 are very much longer than the hinder ; in their relative development and shape not dis 

 similar to those of Gcomys. The third fore claw is longest, then the second, and then the 

 fourth. These are not very unequal, but the first and fifth do not extend to more than half the 

 length of the claws adjacent to them. Both palms and soles are hairy on their posterior half. 



A fine specimen of the American badger, collected in Wisconsin, probably in winter, is in 

 general color not strikingly dissimilar to the ground hog, (Arctomys monax.) The long straight 

 coarse hair is well filled in with a coarse wool, which with the basal portion of the long hairs 

 are of a dull pale brownish yellow, (at the extreme roots having a grayish tinge.) The ter 

 minal half of the long hairs is lustrous brownish black, except at the tip, which is yellowish 

 hoary. Owing to the long loose texture of the hairs all the colors of yellowish, brown, and 

 hoary are distinctly observable, the back having the strongest impression of brownish, the sides 

 of the hoary. The under parts are pretty uniformly pale brownish yellow, nearly white on the 

 middle line of the belly and under the head. The legs and feet are quite uniform, dark brownish 

 black. The top of the head, including the whole muzzle, is dark brown, mixed with hoary, as 

 this color fuses in that of the back; this band narrows from the muzzle to the eyes, covering 



