THE WEASEL FAMILY BADGERS. 195 



(Mellivora-cottoni). Both the other species are iron grey 

 on the upper parts, and black below, and have thickly 

 built, stout bodies; their legs are short and strong, and 

 armed, especially the anterior pair, with long curved 

 claws with which they dig up the earth in search of the 

 honey combs of the wild bees; their tails are short and 

 their ears are reduced to mere rudiments. They have 

 stout, heavy, conical skulls. The two species may be 

 distinguished from one another by a distinct white line 

 around the body of the African species, at the junction 

 of the grey of the upper side with the black of the lower, 

 which is wanting in the Indian Ratel; the teeth of the 

 former species are also larger, rounder and heavier than 

 those of the latter. 



The Sand Badger (Arctonyx-collaris) is a yellowish 

 animal, larger than the common Badger and looking very 

 much like a small bear. It is nocturnal and omnivorous 

 in habits and very fierce. It is found in Eastern India, 

 from the eastern Himalayas to Burma. A small Sand 

 Badger (Arctonyx-taxoides) is found in Assam, Arakan 

 and also in China. It is said there is another species in 

 Tibet, with a tail much longer in proportion to the body 

 than any of the rest of the group. 



There are four species of Ferret Bagders (Helictes), 

 which are found in Asia and the Eastern Archipelago ; 

 and the Stink-dachs of the Germans (Mydaus-meliceps), 

 which is said to be the connecting link between the true 

 Badgers and the Sand Badger, has its habitat in the Mala- 

 van Peninsula. 



