176 



MUSTELID-S!. 



climb trees. One species is found throughout Africa, and one in 

 India, but the distinction of the two is somewhat doubtful. 



Fig. 45. — Skull of McUivora indica. 



Two forms of this genus, Ilellivora sivahnsis and M. punjabensis, 

 are found in the Siwalik beds of Northern India, together with a 

 representative of an allied but extinct genus, Mellivorodon palce- 

 indicus. 



89. Mellivora indica. The Indian Ratel. 



Ursus indicus, Kerr, An. Kimj. p. 188 (1792). 



Mellivora ratel, Gray, Cat, Mam. Birds Nepal ^c. B. M. p. 13 ; 



Horsf. Cat. p. 120 ; Bhjth, Cat. p. 69. 

 Mellivora indica, Jerdon, Mam. p. 78. 

 Ursitaxus iuauritus, Hodgson, As. Res. xix, pt. 1, p. 61 ; id. J. A. S. B. 



V, p. 671. 



Biju, H. ; Gorpat, Siudhi ; Bajru B/idl, at Bhagalpur ; Bharsia, Nipal ; 

 Biijit khawar, Tel. ; Tava karadi, Tarn. ; Usa hanna, Kol. 



Tail without the hair about i to ^ the length of the head and 

 body. Fore claws very large, nearly treble the size of the hind 

 claws. No uuderfur ; abdomen very thinly clad. 



Colour. Above light grey or whitish grey, lower parts with the 

 limbs black. The dorsal fur consists of longer coarse white hairs 

 mixed with rather shorter and finer hairs which are blackish bx'own. 

 The whitish upper parts are sharply divided from the black under- 

 surface, and include the crown of the head, though the black area 



