130 TITEEBNJ. 



The next animal has only a doubtful claim to a place here. 



Gen, Arctictis, Temminck. 

 Syn. Ictides, Valenc. 



Char. — Molars - — =■ ; canines stout, those in the upper jaw very long, 

 5 — 5 



compressed at the base, with a longitudinal groove exteriorly; muzzle 

 short, attenuated; ears short, rounded; body long; legs short; tail 

 nearly as long as the body, partially prehensile ; hair long, rough, copi- 

 ous ; feet plantigrade ; toes five in each foot, with short half-retractile, 

 compressed, strongly-curved claws. 



126. Arctictis binturong. 



Viverra apud Raffles. — Blyth, Cat. 157. — Ictides ater, F. Cuvibr, 

 Mamm. 3, pi. 50-51, olim Paradoxurus alhifrons. 



The Black Bear-cat. 



Descr. — General color throughout deep black, with a white border 

 to the ears, and a few brown hairs scattered over the head above, and on 

 the anterior surface of the fore-legs ; hairs long, rigid and diverging ; 

 tail monstrously thick at the base, tapering to a point, with bristling strag- 

 gling hairs, exceeding those of the body in length. 



Cantor describes it as black, sprinkled with pale ferruginous ; head, face 

 and throat whitish and grizzled ; a trace of a white spot over the eye in 

 the young ; tail black, whitish at the base. 



Length, head and body, 28 to 33 inches ; tail 26 to 27. 



It has a large gland between the anus and genitals, which secretes an 

 oily fluid of an intense but not fetid odour. 



This peculiar animal forms a very distinct genus, whose place in the 

 natural system has not been satisfactorily decided. In general form of 

 skull it resembles Meles, but the relative position of the bones is more like 

 that of Paradoxurus. It deviates from the type of Viverrinm in flie 

 more strictly plantigrade character of the feet, and in the partially pre- 

 hensile tail, approaching Ailurus and Cercoleptes among the UrsidcB. The 

 head is somewhat bulky, and the muzzle slightly turned up, the ears are 



