ORDER CARNASSIER. 33 



tened, and it would seem that they have some- 

 times been taken for otters. 



It is probable that the ratel (civerra mellivora, and 

 viv. capensis), an animal, about the size of a badger, 

 should be placed at the end of the gluttons and Ori- 

 sons. It is gray above, black underneath, having 

 a white line between those two colours. It inha- 

 bits the Cape of Good Hope, and digs the earth 

 with its long front talons to discover the honey 

 there deposited by the wild bees. It is only known 

 by an incomplete description of Sparrman. 



The Digitigrade& 



Form the second tribe of Carnivora, that which 

 walks on the end of the toes. 



, There is a first subdivision of them which have 

 but one tuberculous tooth behind the upper carni- 

 vorous one. These animals have been named ver- 

 miform, in consequence of the length of their bodies 

 and- shortness of their legs, which allows them to 

 pass through the smallest apertures. Like all 

 the preceding tribes they want a caecum, but do 

 not fall into a state of lethargy during the winter. 

 Though small and feeble, they are exceedingly 

 cruel and live peculiarly upon blood. Linnaeus 

 makes but one genus of them, that of 



The Martens, (Mtjstela., Lin.) 



Which we shall divide into four sub-genera. 

 Vol. II. D 



