AMERICAN BADGER. 361 



CHARACTERS. 



Colour above, hoary-yellowish-brown ; a broad white longitudinal line 

 dividing the head above into two equal parts ; dull uhite, beneath ; legs and 

 feet, black. 



SYNONYMES. 



Carcajou, Buffon, lorn, vi., p. 117, pi. 23. 

 Common Badger, Pennant's Arctic Zool., vol. i., p. 71. 

 Badger, Var. B. American, Penn. Hist. Quad., vol. ii., p. 15. 

 Ursus Taxus, Schreber, Saugeth, p. 520. 



" Labradoril's, Gmel., vol. i., p. 102. 

 Prarow, Gass, Journal, p. 34. 



Blaireau, Lewis and Clarke's Voyage, vol. i., pp. 50, 137, 213. 

 Taxus Labradoricus, Long's Expedition, vol. i., p. 261. 

 Meles Labradoria, Sabine, Franklin's First Journey, p. 649. 

 American Badger, Harlan, F., p. 57. 



" " Godm., vol.i., p. 179. 



Blairead D'Ameriqce, F. Cuvier, Hist. Nat. des Mamm. 

 Meles Labradoria, Richardson, F. B. A., pi. 2. 



" " Walerhouse, Trans. Zool. Soc, London, vol. ii., p. I, p. 343. 



DESCEEPTIOIf. 



There is a very striking difference between the teeth of this species 

 and those of the European Badger, {Meles vulgaris ;) besides which the 

 present species has one tooth less than the latter on each side in the 

 lower jaw. We have ascertained, by referring to three skulls in our 

 possession, that the dentition of the American Badger corresponds so 

 minutely with the scientific and accurate account given of it by Watek- 

 HousE, in the Transactions of the Zool. Society of London, vol. ii., part 5, 

 p. 343, that we are willing to adopt his conclusions. 



He says : " The subgeneric name, Taxfoea, may be applied to the 

 American Badger, and such species as may hereafter be discovered with 

 incisors | ; canines iz| ; false molars lz|, the posterior false molar of the 

 lower jaw, with an anterior large tubercle, and a posterior smaller one ; 

 molars |z| ; the carnassiere and the grinding molars of the upper jaw 

 each of a triangular form, or nearly so, and about equal in size. The 

 modification observable in the form of the molars of the upper jaw of 

 TAsmEA, furnishes us with an interesting link between Mephitis and 

 Meles, whilst the former of these genera links the Badger with Mustela 

 and its subgenera." 



The body of this species is thick, heavy, flat, very broad and fleshy, 



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