On the Tibet a it Badger. [Aug, 



its heel. The laniary teeth are void of any peculiarity, so far as can 

 be judged, for they are injured. Of the incisors the of upper jaw the 

 two extreme laterals are longer than the rest and pointed. The others 

 have obliquely flattened crowns upon which the incisors of the lower jaw 

 work in a quasi-triturant manner. The incisors of the lower jaw are 

 crushed between the two laniaries, there being scarcely room for them 

 in the interval, though the two intermediates are inserted more back- 

 ward than the rest, seemingly in order to find room. The Badger is 

 alledged to be a dull animal, defective in all the organs of sense. But 

 in the scull now before me of the Badger of Tibet, as compared with that 

 of several allied genera, I perceive no evidence of deficiency, the 

 cavities for the reception of the auditory visual and olfactory apparatus 

 being sufficiently developed, and the brain-pan being unusually capaci- 

 ous ; so that one may suspect that if the Badger were to exert his for- 

 midable means of offence with greater alacrity he would command more 

 respect from his human critics. Whatever I have been able to gather 

 as to the habits of the Tumpha, makes them accord with those 

 of the English Badger, and is in harmony with the indications of 

 the scull. The Tumpha dwells in the more secluded spots of inhabited 

 districts, makes a comfortable, spacious and well arranged subterranean 

 abode, dwells there in peace with his mate, who has an annual brood of 

 2 to 4 young, molests not his neighbour, defends himself, if compelled 

 to it, with unconquerable resolution,* and feeds on roots, nuts, insects, 

 and reptiles, but chiefly the former two, or vegetables not animals, a point 

 of information confirmed by the prevalent triturant character of the 

 teeth. It only now remains to describe the colours of the Tumpha 

 The head above and laterally is of a yellowsh white, and this colour 

 descends so low on the sides of the head as to take in the edge of the 

 lower jaw to its tip. This pale hue of the head is divided lengthwise 

 by a black brown line that runs from the moustache through the eye to 

 the ear, hoth inclusive ; but neither the dark nor pale colour extends 

 backward over the neck, both being lost, though without abrupt transi- 

 tion, behind the ears. The ears inside and out are basally black, and 

 terminally white. The neck and body above and laterally are of a 

 yellowish pepper and salt hue, paling as you descend the flanks. The 

 tail is void almost wholly of the darker ingredient of the mixture, being 

 ■ I he captors of mine, were obliged to knock off" his eye-teeth, he bit so perscvering-ly. 



