BADGERS. 89 
and the scent-glands immediately removed, the flesh of the Malayan badger is 
quite free from odour, and far from unpalatable. The secretion of the glands is, 
however, foetid in the extreme, and has been compared to that of the skunks. As 
in the latter, it can be ejected by the animal to a considerable distance. We have 
but little information as to the habits of this animal in a wild state; but it is 
stated to be gentle and easily tamed when in captivity. 





THE MALAYAN BADGER (+ nat, size). 
THE SAND-BADGER. 
Genus Arctonyz. 
With the sand-badger or, as it is often termed, the hog-badger (Arctonya 
collaris), we come to our last representative of the badgers, and at the same time of 
the present section of the Weasel family. The ordinary sand-badger is an Indian 
species, ranging from the Eastern Himalaya through Assam and the neighbouring 
regions to Tenasserim and Lower Burma. There is, however, also a smaller species 
(A. taxoides), inhabiting Assam and Arakan, and possibly China; while there is 
probably a third in Eastern Tibet. 
The sand-badgers are easily distinguished from the other members of the group 
by their proportionately longer tails ; that of the Indian species being from a quarter 
to a third the length of the head and body. The long and naked snout is very like 
that of the Malayan badger; the eyes are small, and the ears also small and 
rounded. The body is rather flattened from side to side; and only a portion of 
the naked soles of the feet are applied to the ground in walking, so that these 
animals may be described as digitigrade rather than plantigrade when in motion. 
