THE RATEL. 83 
forages far and wide for ber offspring, and lays up the produce of her chase 
in certain cunningly-contrived larders. In a wood belonging to Lord Bagot, 
a Stoat nursery was discovered, having within it no less than six inhabitants, 
another and her five young. Their larder was supplied with five hares and 
four rabbits, neither of which had been in the least mangled, with the 
exception of the little wound that had caused their death. 
In the clumsy-looking animal which is called the RATEL, a beautiful 
adaptation of nature is manifested. Covered from the tip of the nose to the 
insertion of the claws with thick, coarse, and rough fur, and provided more- 
over with a skin that lies very loosely on tl.e body, the Ratel is marvellously 
adapted to the peculiar life which it leads, 
Although the Ratel is in all probability indebted for its food to various 
sources, the diet which it best loves is comvosed of the combs and young of 
the honey-bee. So celebrated is the animal for its predilection for this sweet 
dainty that it has earned for itself the title of Honey Ratel, or Honey Weasel. 
The reason for its extremely thick coating of fur is now evident. The animal 
is necessarily exposed to the attacks of the infuriated bees when it lays siege 
to their fastnesses, and if it were not defended by a coating which is impene- 
trable to their stings, it would soon fall a victim to the poisoned weapons of 
its myriad foes. 
During the daytime the Ratel remains in its burrow; but as evening begins 
to draw near, it emerges from its place of repose, and sets off on its bee- 
hunting expeditions. As the animal is unable to climb trees, a bees’ nest 
that is made in a hollow tree-limb is safe from its attacks. But the greater 
number of wild bees make their nests in the deserted mansions of the termite, 
or the forsaken burrows of various animals. It is said that the Ratel finds 
its way towards the bees’ nests by watching the direction in which the bees 
return towards their homes. 
The colour of the Ratel is black upon the muzzle, the limbs, and the whole 
of the under portions of the body; but upon the upper part of the head, 
neck, back, ribs, and tail, the animal 
is furnished with a thick covering of 
long hairs, which are of an ashy grey 
colour. A bright grey stripe, about 
~an inch in width, runs along each side 
and serves as a line of demarcation 
between the light and the dark por- 
tions of the fur. The ears of the 
Ratel are extremely short. The 
lighter fur of the back is variously 
tinted in different individuals, some 
being of the whitish grey which has 
been already mentioned, and others 
remarkable for a decided tinge of 
red. The length of the Cape Ratel 
is rather more than three feet, inclu- 
sive of the tail, which measures eight 
or nine inches in length. In its walk 
it is plantigrade, and has so much of 
the ursine character in its movements that it has been called the Indian 
or Honey Bear. It is sometimes known under the title of “ Bharsiah.” 
The animal which has just been described is an inhabitant of Southern 
Africa, being found in great profusion at the Cape of Good Hope. There is, 
however, an Indian species of Ratel, which very closely resembles the African 
animal, and in the opinion of some writers is identical with it. 
Cee 
RATEL.—(Afellivora Rat 1.) 
G2 
