148 



THE BADGER. 



Meles Taxus FLEMING. 

 PLATE IX. 



Grey above > brownish-black beneath ; head whiie, w\t\ 

 a longitudinal black band on each side. 



Ursus Meles. Linn. Syst. Nat. I. 70. Meles vulgaris, Desmar. 

 Mammal. 173 Meles Taxus, Jen. Brit. Vert. An. 10; Bell, 

 Brit. Quadr. 122. 



THE Badger, which is the only species belonging 

 to the Plantigrade family that now occurs in Britain, is 

 a very robust animal, of which the body is propor- 

 tionally large and full ; the head of moderate size, 

 somewhat conical ; the snout abrupt, with the nos- 

 trils terminal, but having a lateral slit ; the eyes 

 small, as are the ears, which are rounded ; the 

 limbs short and strong ; the fore feet with five 

 toes, of which the inner is shortest, the outer 

 next in length, the third or middle toe longest, 

 the claws very long, slightly arched, compressed 

 and blunted ; the hind feet also with five toes, of 

 which the claws are short, generally worn to a 

 stump, and the sole, as far as the heel, bare. The 

 six upper incisors are of nearly equal size and 

 length ; between the lateral and the large, nearh 

 straight canine tooth on each side is a vacant space; 



