60 INDICATION OF A 



V. 



INDICATION 



OF A 



NEW GENUS OF THE CARNIVORA, 



WITH DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES ON WHICH IT IS FOUNDED. 



By B. H. HODGSON, Esq. 



Resident in Nepal. 



FAMILY CARNIVORA. TRIBE PLANTIGRADES. 

 GENUS URSITAXUS. MIHI. 



Cheek Teeth ^\^\ of ursine flatness almost, but musteline disposition;* the tubercular of the upper 

 jaw, smooth-croivned, narrow, parallelogrammic and smaller than the Carnivorous : none in 

 the- lower jaw : two false molars above and three below on either side : general conformation 

 of the animal similar to that of the Badger, but wanting external ears : anal glands as in 

 Mydaus, 



Remark. — The natural affinities of this Genus are with Ursus, Taxus, and Mydaus ; but 



chiefly with Taxus. 



The single animal from which the above characters are drawn was procured 

 by me in 1829, since which period I have in vain endeavoured to obtain 

 another : and, as I see no immediate prospect of better success in my 

 search, I shall not longer defer giving such account of it as my materials 



* That is, a disposition partially transverse, exhibited in the inner heel of the carnivorous 

 tooth, and the whole body of the tuberculous one of the upper jaw. This arrangement of the 

 teeth appears to be appendant to the true cutting type, and is not therefore developed in Ursus, 

 or in other true plantigrades. Amongst the digitigrades it is common, and particularly so in 

 the mustelidee. 



