1173 



URSIDJE. 



URSID^E. 



1174 



Dental Formula : Incisors, 6 ; Canines, - - ; Molars, ? ? _ 40. 



Teeth of Raccoon. 



P. lolor (I'riut loior, Linn.), is the Raton of the French; Raccoon 

 ('Coon in clipped language) of the Anglo-Americana ; Mapach, Yllama- 

 ton, Maxile, and Cioatlamacazque of the Mexicans ; and Raccoon Bear 

 of Pennant 



The bead is round, with a narrow tapering nose projecting beyond 

 the mouth, black at the end, and flexible : the lips black. Eyes 

 moderately large and round, with a circular pupil. Elliptical ears 

 low, but erect, with rounded tips, dirty white. Whiskers strong. 

 Short-haired muzzle, dirty white, the colour extending round the 

 cheek and over the eyes. A dark brown mark across the eyes and 

 cheek, and another between the eyes, extending from the forehead. 

 Back grizzled. Belly paler than the back. Tail bushy, not unlike a 

 fox's brush, dirty white, annulated with dark rings. Length of head 

 and body, 2 feet ; of tail (vertebrae) 9J inches. 



It is a native of the North of America. Several specimens are to 

 be seen in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park. 



ifellivora (Storr.). General characters corresponding with those of 

 Gtdo. [GuLO.] Feet pentadactyle. 



Dental Formula: Incisors, - Canines, 1 nl; Molara, tri=32. 

 6 1 1 4 4 



Ratol (Jfellirora Capenlii], 



Teeth of Ratel. (F. Curler.) 



lu some point* this genus approximates to the Hysenas : in others, to 

 the Polecats, Zorillas, and Martins. 



M. Capensis. This appears to be the Viverra Capensis of Sehreber, 

 Gtdo Capensis of Desmarest, Mellivora Capensis of F. Cuvier, Viverra 

 mellivora and Urmi mellivorus of Blumenbach, Taxus mellivorus of 

 Tiedemann, Meles mellivora of Thunberg, Stinkbinksen of Kolbe (?), 

 Ratel of Sparrmann, Fizzler Weesel and Ratel of Pennant, Honey 

 Weesel of Shaw, Honig Freter of the Dutch Cape Colonists, and 

 Blaireau Puant of La Caille. 



The head is rather smooth, but stiff and wiry. Body above from 

 the top of the head to the root of the tail dull ash-gray, whitest 

 towards the head. Muzzle, space round the eyes and ears, limbs, all 

 the under parts, and rest of the tail, black. Claws on the fore-feet 

 long, the middle three longest, the internal claw placed much moru 

 backward than the rest. Bulk about that of a Badger. Total length 

 three feet, the tail about a sixth of the length. Height about 10 or 

 12 inches. 



The hide of this quadruped is so tough and loose, that, according 

 to Sparrmann, if anybody catches hold of it by the back part of the 

 neck, it is able to turn round, so to speak, in its skin, and bite the 

 offending arm. The claws of the fore feet are longest, and well formed 

 for grubbing. The bees, according to the description of the author 

 last quoted, who drew his information from the Hottentots, furnish 

 the principal means of subsistence to the Ratel. These insects, in that 

 part of South Africa where the Ratel is found, usually inhabit the 

 deserted lairs and burrows of the Ethiopian Boar, the Porcupine, &c., 

 and, according to the accounts given, the Ratel, which preys in the 

 evening, ascends to the highest parts of the deserts to look out, and will 

 then raise its paw before its eyes to prevent their being dazzled by 

 the sun. Here he watches and listens for the Honey-Guide Cuckoo 

 [INDICATOBIN*], which serves both the Hottentot and quadruped as 

 a conductor to the bees' store, or for the flight of the bees themselves. 

 If the beast have luck to trace the guide or the insect it follows, and 

 if the nest be on the ground or near it, he undermines it with his 

 natural digging instruments, and secures the contents. If the nest be 

 in the tree, the Ratel, which cannot climb, gnaws the trunk in its 

 unavailing rage, leaving marks which the Hottentot well knows as 

 indicative of the treasure above. 



Mr. Bennett well observes that the dentition of the Ratel is much 

 at variance with the diet above attributed to him, and that the accu- 

 racy of these accounts may be doubted. " It requires," says he, " tho 

 most positive evidence to convince us that an animal, the number and 

 disposition of whose teetli correspond more closely with those of the 

 cats than any other quadruped with which we are acquainted, and 

 exhibit a carnivorous character scarcely, if at all, inferior to that 

 which is evidenced by the same organs in the hyaenas, 'should subsist 

 entirely, as from these accounts we are left to believe, upon the petty 

 rapine of a hive of bees and the honied produce of their comb. St.ill. 

 there exist such decisive marks of a diminished capacity for preying 

 on animal food, in the thickset and clumsy form of its body, the short- 



