EXTERNAL CHARACTERS OF THE MUSTELIDiE. 809 



upper lip is shallow and without gutter ; but the infranarial 

 portions are somewhat deeper than in that genus ; there is no 

 median groove and the lateral slits of the nostrils are more 

 abbreviated, and the upper surface is quite naked. 



In Jleles the rhinarium is very large and naked, the infranarial 

 portions being excsedingly deep and often convexly produced in 

 the middle below. Tiie nostrils are tolerably close together, but 

 the lateral slits, although narrow, are long. There is no median 

 groove, and the upper li]3, shallower than the rhinarium, has no 

 gutter. 



In the Skunks the range in variation of the rhinarium is very 

 instructive. In SpilogaU it is very like that of Martes, having 

 shallow infranarial portions defined by faint grooves from the 

 median portion, a median groove in front in the lower part, an 

 angled inferior border, and a complete gutter dividing the upper 

 lip, which is not quite so deep as the rhinarium. (Text- 

 fig. 29, C.) 



In M&phitis the infranarial portions are always deep, wide, 

 and well-defined laterally beneath the posterior slit of the nostrils 

 as in Meles, and when tlie groove between the nostrils and the 

 two defining the infranarial portions and the gutter on the lip 

 are absent, the resemblance to that genus is particularly close. 

 But in a specimen, said to have come from Manitoba, the 

 rhinarium is lower and somewhat wider than in other examples, 

 the lip is cleft by a shallow gutter continued on to the lower half 

 of the rhinarium, and the lateral portions are defined by shallow 

 grooves runninij from the nostrils to the middle line of the 

 inferior edge. '(Text-fig. 29, D, E.) 



In Conej^atus jJi'oteus the rhinarium is twice as wide as high, 

 about equal in depth to the upper lip which has no gutter, its 

 upper edge is evenly convex, its lower edge horizontal, and, 

 although there is a short groove between the nostrils, the nostrils 

 themselves are wholly visible from the anterior view, the lateral 

 slits being short and not continued to tlie posterior edge, thus 

 resembling the rhinarium of Mellivora. (Text-fig. 29, F, G.) 



In Melogale persovata the rhinarium is remarkable for the 

 extreme depth of the mesially grooved infranarial portions which 

 are produced inferiorly, so that their median depth is equal to 

 the depth of the area above it and of the upper lip. They are 

 also very deep laterally beneath the slits of the nostrils, which 

 are continued to the posteiior border of the rhinarium. The 

 upper lip is ungrooved and is only sparsely hairy mesially and 

 laterally as far back as the angle of the mouth. (Text-figs. 29, 

 H, I ; 30, G.) 



'Jlie rhinarium of Mydaus is even more aberrant and recalls 

 that of the Suidpe in the sense that it consists of a some- 

 what rounded disc with two subcircular nostrils on its anterior 

 surface, the slits of the nostrils being very narrow and short. 

 The infranarial portions are much deeper than the upper portion 

 of the rhinarium and are everywhere of equal depth. They are 



54* 



