6lO MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



leptes] are inhabitants of South America, and, as is the case 

 with so many of the animals of this continent, they are adapted 

 for an arboreal life, to which end their tails are prehensile. 

 The Coatis (Nasua) are very closely allied to the Racoons, 

 and are exclusively confined to the American continent. All 

 the above-mentioned little animals (with the exception of the 

 Wah) present a singularly close resemblance to the Lemurs of 

 the Old World, and appear to be their representatives in the 

 western hemisphere. In the genus Paradoxurus of the Indian 

 Archipelago, the tail is capable of being rolled up, but its ex- 

 tremity is not prehensile. The " Benturongs " (Arctictis] have 

 a long, hairy, and prehensile tail. They are nocturnal animals 

 which are found in India, and are in some respects inter- 

 mediate between the Racoons and the Civets. 



The only remaining family of the Plantigrada is that of the 

 Melidcz or Badgers, characterised by their elongated bodies 

 and short legs, and by the fact that the carnassial tooth has a 

 partly cutting edge, and is not wholly tuberculate as in the 

 Bears. 



The common Badger (Meles taxus), which may be regarded 

 as the type of this group, occurs in Britain, and is one of the 

 most inoffensive of animals. It is nocturnal in its habits, and 

 is a very miscellaneous feeder, not refusing anything edible 

 which may come in its way, though living mainly on roots and 

 fruits. The Badger burrows with great ease, and can bite very 

 severely. The European Badger is represented in the United 

 States and Canada by the " Siffleur " (Meles Labradoricus), and 

 in the hilly parts of India by the Indian Badger (M. collaris). 

 The Glutton (Gulo lusais}, often called the Wolverine, is of 

 common occurrence in the northern parts of Europe, Asia, 

 and America. It is from two to three feet in length, and 

 though doubtless a tolerably voracious animal, it is certainly 

 not so much so as to deserve the name of Glutton. The 

 Grison (Gulo vittatus] is a closely-allied species, which is found 

 in South America. The Ratels or Honey-badgers (Mellivora) 

 are much like the common Badger in their habits and appear- 

 ance, but they get their name from their fondness for honey. 

 They are natives of southern and eastern Africa. 



SECTION III. DIGITIGRADA. In this section of the Carnivora 

 the heel is raised above the ground, with the whole or the 

 greater part of the metacarpus and metatarsus, so that the 

 animals walk more or less completely on the tips of the toes 

 (fig. 259, C). No absolute line, however, of demarcation can 

 be drawn between the Plantigrade and Digitigrade sections of 

 the Carnivora, since many forms (e.g., Mustdidcz and Viverrida) 



