MELES. 



197 



difference between the skull of M. leucums, Hodg., from Lassa, in Tibet, and the skull 

 of M. chinensis,^ Gray ; and after a careful examination of the skull of the type 

 M. leuGurus^ with four skulls of M. chinemis, I see no reason to differ from Dr. Gray. 

 I have also compared the skin of Hodgson's typical specimen of M. leucurm with the 

 figure and account of M. leptorhynchus, A. M.-Edwards, and they seem to me 

 identical — a conclusion which I have arrived at from a consideration of osteological 

 as well as external characters. I have also carefully examined the types of M. 

 leptorhynchm. The skull of M. chinensis which Dr. Gray figured belonged to a 

 slightly immature female, and is somewhat smaller than the skull of M. leucurus, 

 which belonged to the same sex. The only difference that I can detect between 

 them is, that the contraction of the brain-case behind the external orbital angle 

 is less in the latter than in the former, but the difference is so sHght that no 

 importance can be attached to it, more especially as the other skulls of M. chinensis 

 vary quite as much among themselves, as is demonstrated in the accompanying table. 

 These skulls also show considerable variation in their basal breadth when measured 

 between the auditory processes. Any little variation manifested by the skull of 

 M. leucurus seems to me to have its counterpart in one or other of these skidls of 

 M. chinensis. 



The skull of M. leucurus,^ which in its basicranial length exceeds only by a very 

 little that of the skull of M. leptorhynchus, practically agrees with it in the length 

 of the palate, iu the breadth across the infra-orbital foramina, across the zygomata, 

 at the condyles, and across the base of the skull between the auditory processes. 

 The zygomatic arch, however, of M. leptorhynchus is considerably stronger, but this 

 may be a sexual character, or individual variation. The depth, too, through the 

 coronoid process of these skulls of M. chinensis, ia the females, is less than in 

 M. leptorhynchus, and the female skull of M. leucurus resembles them also in 

 this respect. 



Measurements of skulls of M. leucurus, Hodgson, and of M. chinensis, Gray : 



If.leucuruet 

 type 9 



From tip of premaxillse to end of sagittal crest (greatest length) 



„ anterior margin of foramen magnum to inner border of incisors 

 Length of palate to inner border of incisors ..... 



„ from transverse line connecting posterior border of last molars 

 to end of palate , . . . . 

 Breadth across zygomata at condyles ...... 



„ „ auditory processes ....... 



„ behind external angle and eye (least) . . . . . 



Length of lower jaw from angle 



Height through coronoid process 



4-90 

 4-20 

 2-50 



0-65 

 2-65 

 2-36 

 095 

 312 

 1-47 



Melbs chinensis. 



5-10 

 422 

 2-50 



065 



P 

 2-60 

 0-83 

 3-31 

 160 



4-75 

 4-00 

 2-41 



0-66 

 2-55 

 2-30 

 0-80 

 2-97 

 1-25 



4-71 

 4-00 

 2-40 



0-66 

 2-45 

 215 

 0-87 

 3-05 

 141 



4-57 

 3-93 

 2-32 



0-60 

 2-47 

 2-30 

 0-82 

 2-86 

 1-34 



1 Cat. Camiv., B. M., 1869, pp. 127 and 128. 



2 Journ. As. Soc, Bengal, 1847, pp. 763-770, pis. xsix, xxx et xxxi, fig. B. 



' Dr. Gray, writing on M. leucurus, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1853, p. 190, says that he had compared the skull with those 

 of the variouB badgers in the India Museum Collection, and that having mentioned to Hodgson that it was very dis- 

 tinct from the Taacidea of North America, Hodgson had proposed to name it Fseudo-meles leucurus, under which 

 name it now stands in the India Museum, London. 



