954 



I. POCOCK ON WARNING COLORAIION [DeC. 1 5^ 



Allied to the Grison is another South American musteline, the 

 Tayra {Galera harhara). It is a larger animal than the Grison 

 and approaches an otter in size. I cannot find in literature any- 

 convincing evidence that this animal stinks to the same nauseating 

 extent as the Grison ; but considering the close relationship 

 between the two species, which until lately were referred to the 

 same genus, this must be regarded as probable. Hamilton Smith, 

 however, remarks that it "has a strorg musky smell "*. One 

 that lived a few years ago in the Zoological Gardens was extra- 

 ordinarily tame, and Dixon, the keeper in charge of it, tells me 

 that it never smelt like the Grisons or Ratels, but only " like a 

 Badger." This negative evidence as to its potential offensiveness. 



Text-fig. 197. 



Bush-Dog {SpeotJios venaticus), upper figure, and Tayra {Galera 

 harhara), lower figure. 



must not, how'ever, be overvalued ; for, as has been explained^ 

 two tame specimens of the African Ratel that have recently lived 

 in the Gardens were never known to make use of their stink- 

 glands. The same is true of some Canadian Skunks {Alephitis 

 7nephiiica) we now possess, although their glands are entire ; and 

 it is well known that Cape Polecats [Ictonyx cajiensis) can be 

 tamed and kept in houses as pets fvsr destroying rats. 



The colour of the Tayra varies, some specimens, perhaps always 



* Jardine's Nat. Librarj', xv. Mammalia, p. 202, 1868. 



