460 



MAMMALIA. 



tuberculate molar on each side of the upper and lower jaws. 

 All the Mustelidm have curious anal glands which emit a strong- 

 smelling odour; these are greatly developed sebaceous glands. 

 Some animals, such as the skunk, have the power of ejecting 



Fig. 219 — Feet of Carnivora. 



A, Plantigrade foot (Bear); B, Pinnigi'ade foot (Seal); c, Digitigrade foot (Lion). 

 (Nicholson.) 



the secretion, which is most foul-smelling, some distance over 

 their enemy. 



The Mustelidse are of considerable economic importance, as 

 many of them are most injurious. We may here mention the 

 Polecat {Putorius fmtidus), the Stoat (P. erminea), the Weasel 

 (P. vulgaris) the Marten {Maries sylvatiea), and the Otter 

 {Lutra vulgaris), as being generally abundant in Britain, 

 and also the Ferret (P. furo), which is said by some to be a 

 native of Africa, but which may have been derived from the 

 polecat. 



The Weasel (P. vulgaris) is a small elongate animal about 

 eight inches long with a tail about two inches long. It is brown 

 above and with a white belly. The body is very slender and 

 almost snake-like, the legs very short, and the head somewhat 

 larger than the diameter of the trunk. It has a similar fur 



