GROUP OF Till': MARTENS. 



2 10 



rocks, but at irregular hours. It has no 

 winter sleep. During the endless davs and 

 nights ot the Arctic regions it may be seen 

 ranging about at any hour. Since it is \-erv 

 wily and shrewd it is not easy either to catch 

 it in traps or for the hunter to get near it. 



Cowerino^ like a cat it 



Kitientlv in wait 



ig illV^ CL V-CIL IL lies I )( 



for the large animals, which it seizes by the 



throat. Often it climbs on trees, and stretche 



x\ 



out on a branch remains patiently on the 

 watch tor passing \-ictims. It breaks into the 

 uninhabited huts of the Lapps in order to 

 re\-el on the stores. 



The anal glands are but slightly de\-eloped, 

 and onl\' seldom, in case of the utmost danger, 

 does It emit the olinoxious odour of which 

 they are the source. When cauQ-ht \-ouno- it 

 may be tamed to a certain deoree, and affords 



112.— Tlic Bush-clog- |AV/Vl',w Vi/iaf/ri/s). 



amusement by its sports with those of its own 

 kind. Its fur is little esteemed among us. 

 The female briuQ-s forth in the month of ^lay 

 from two to tour young ones, which it watches 

 over assiduously and detends with couraoe. 



A \-ery remarkable torm which was tirst 

 discoyered in a tossil condition in the cayes 

 of Brazil, and was shortly afterwards tound 

 living in the thickest parts of the primeval 

 forests, is the Bush-dog {Icticyoii vciialicus), 

 ^g. 112, described by Lund. This very rare 

 nocturnal animal is about the size ot a moder- 

 ately large, strong-, thickset dog, which it 

 somewhat resembles in appearance. It is of 

 a brown colour, with a broad back, short 

 strong legs, short tail, and pretty long-haired 

 fur. The head is thick, the muzzle short and 

 broad, the fore-feet with tive, the hind ones 



with only tour to^'S, all united at the base by 

 a broad membrane. The animal has only one 

 small tubercled tooth in each jaw, the carnas- 

 sial teeth are shtirt and with a small heel, the 

 premolars pointed ; but what mainly distin- 

 guishes this dentition is the great size ot the 

 carnassials and canines of the lower jaw. 

 There are in all 36 teeth. 



Not much is known of the habits ot this 

 yer\' timid creature. It digs out holes, and 

 appears to feed chietly on birds and imder- 

 o-round animals. 



The Hyrares or Grisons [Galictis), which 

 are distributed throughout South America, 

 have altogether the appearance of weasels; 

 a very long short-legged body, a short head 

 thick behind, rounded muzzle, naked soles, 

 sharp curved claws of moderate size, and 



