1428 



CLASS MAMMALIA. 



genus Meles occur in the Pliocene of Persia, the common Badger 

 (M. taxus) being found in the Pleistocene of Europe ; while extinct 

 species of Mellivora, or Ratel (fig. 1306), have been described from 

 the Pliocene of India, this genus being confined to that country 



Fig. 1306.— The right upper and left lower dentition of Mellivora sivalensis', 

 from the Pliocene of India. 



and Africa. The last-named deposits also yield the extinct Melli- 

 vorodon. Species of the American genus Mephitis (Conepatus) 

 occur in the Pleistocene cave-deposits of Brazil ; while Promephitis, 

 of the Pliocene of Greece, is considered to be allied. Pal<zo7nephitis, 

 of the Miocene of Bavaria, which has been placed in this family, 

 appears to be identical with Viverra. 



The Weasels, or typical representatives of the family, which are 

 divided into the existing genera Mustela (including Putorius), Gulo, 

 and Galictis, occur commonly throughout the higher Tertiaries. 



Mustela (fig. 1307), in which the premolars vary from - to -, and 



3 4 



the inner cusp of the lower carnassial is frequently absent, is repre- 

 sented by numerous existing species in the Pleistocene of Europe, 

 and by a number of extinct forms, some of which it has been pro- 

 posed to separate under the names of Plesiogale and Palceogale, rang- 

 ing down to the Quercy Phosphorites. A large species (fig. 1308) 

 occurs in the Siwaliks of India, which was probably closely allied 

 to M. flavigula of the same regions ; and other large forms are 



