GULO ORIENTALIS. 



the muzzle, from the form of the body, the proportional length of the tail, and of 

 the lobes of the ear, are not uniform in the animals which belong to this genus. 

 The structure of the anal foUiculi, as well as of the tongue, requii-es in most species 

 a further examination. 



In the most numerous Catalogue of Quadrvipeds hitherto published, which con- 

 stitutes the article Mammalogie in the Encyclop^die Methodique, compiled by 

 Mr. M. A. G. Desmarest, four species of Gulo are admitted ; namely, Gvilo arcticus, 

 or Wolverene ; Gulo vittatus, or Grison ; Gulo barbatus, the Taira of BufFon and 

 the Galera of Brown ; and Gulo capensis, or Ratel. Besides these, the Baron 

 Humboldt has described two animals, inhabiting the equinoctial regions of America, 

 with the names of Gulo Quietensis, and Gulo Mapurito : but these Mr. Desmarest 

 has added to the genus Mephitis; as they are both truly plantigrade, they confirm 

 this character as far as regards the latter genus. Of the species of Gulo above 

 enumerated, the Gulo barbatus, the Taira or Galera, appears to have the nearest 

 affinity to Gulo orientalis ; but the figures hitherto published, afford but imperfect 

 means of comparison. 



The Gulo orientalis is somewhat smaller than the English Pole Cat. The form 

 of its body, in comparison with other Gluttons, is rather slender: it is thickly 

 covered with fur, consisting of long hairs closely arranged, silky at the base, of a 

 brown colour, and somewhat glossy, with a slight tint of reddish brown; in certain 

 lights it appears diversified, grayish, and tawny. This fur covers greatest part of 

 the body and head, and the whole of the tail and extremities ; the colour of these 

 parts is consequently brown, or reddish brown, with occasional shades of rufous and 

 tawny: the sides of the head, the neck, the throat, breast, and a broad spot on the 

 top of the head, which passes, gradually decreasing in breadth, to the middle of the 

 back, are white, with an obscure tint of Isabella yellow, of different degrees of 

 intensity: this colour also exists, less distinct, in a longitudinal band along the lowest 

 part of the abdomen. From the posterior angle of the eye, a narrow dark brown 

 band passes in a curve towards the throat, and returns again to the posterior part of the 

 ear, where it unites to the lobe. On the forehead, between the eyes, is a transverse band, 

 of a grayish hue, united to an obscure longitudinal streak, which extends along the 

 summit of the head, from the region of the eyes to the crown. The borders of the 

 upper jaw and of the ears are whitish. 



The head is rather small and compressed, and the face gradually tapers to an 

 obtuse nose. Both jaws are of equal length ; but a slight extension of the naked 

 extremity of the snout gives to the upper jaw the appearance of projecting beyond 

 the lower. The nostrils are pierced anteriorly, but have a small lateral notch. The 

 mustaches consist of a few solitary stiff bristles arising from the upper lip, closely 

 applied to the head, and pointing backward. The eyes, which are rather prominent. 



