86 MAMMALIA. 



they approach the Cat, while their whole exterior is that of the Grison or 

 Badger. The legs are short; feet plantigrade, and five toes to each; 

 nails very strong, &c. &c. 



One species only is known, the Viverra mellivora, Sparm. ; and 

 f'iv. capensis, Schreb. pi. 125. (The Ratel or Honey Weasel). 

 Size of the European Badger; grey above; black beneath, with a 

 white line between these two colours ; sometimes it is nearly all white 

 above. It inhabits the Cape of Good Hope, and digs up the earth 

 with its long fore-claws, in search of the honey-combs of the wild 

 bees. The 



DiGITIGRADA 



form the second tribe of the Carnivora — that which walks on the ends 

 of the toes. 



In the first subdivision there is only one tuberculous tooth behind the 

 upper carnivorous one ; these animals, on account of the length of their 

 body, and the shortness of their feet, which permit them to pass through 

 the smallest openings, have been styled vermiform. Like the preceding 

 ones, they have no caecum, but do not fall into a lethargy during the 

 winter. Linnaeus placed them all in one genus, that of 



MusTELA, Lin. 

 Or the Weasels, which we will divide into four sub-genera. 

 PuTORius, Cuv. 

 The Polecats are the most sanguinary of all ; the lower carnivorous 

 tooth has no inner tubercle, and the superior tuberculous one is more 

 broad than long; there are only two false molars above and three below. 

 These animals are externally recognised by their muzzle, which is shorter 

 and thicker than that of the Weasel. They all diffuse an infectious 

 odour. 



Mustela 2^utorius, L. ; Buff. VIL xxiii. (The Common Polecat). 

 Brown ; flanks yellowish ; white spots on the head ; the terror of 

 poultry-yards and warrens, 



M. furo, L. ; Buff. VIL xxv. and xxvi. (The Ferret). Yellow- 

 ish, with rose-coloured eyes, and is perhaps a mere variety of the 

 Polecat. It is only found in France in a domesticated state, and is 

 employed to ferret out the rabbits from their holes. It comes from 

 Spain and Barbary. 



M. sarmatica; TJ/e Perouasca; Pall. Spic. Zool. XIV. iv. 1; 

 Schreb. CXXXII. (The Sarmatian Weasel). Brown; everywhere 

 spotted with yellow and white. So beautifully is the skin mottled, 

 that it is in high request among furriers. It is found throughout 

 all southern Russia, Asia Minor, and the coast of the northern rivers 

 of the Caspian sea. 



M. sibirica, Pall. Spic. Zool. XIV. iv. 2. (The Siberian Pole- 

 cat). A uniform light fawn colour ; nose and circumference of the 

 eyes brown ; end of the muzzle and the under part of the lower jaw 

 white. 



