THE RATEL. 



Generic Characters. 

 Six cutting and two obtufe teeth in each jaw. 

 Nofe marp ; body flender. 

 Five toes before, five behind. 



Synonims. 

 Fizzler, Pennant Syn. Quad. 234. 

 Stink-bingsem, Kolben Cape,\i. 133. 

 Stinkbinks, Schreber Mammal, p. 450. tab. 125. 

 Elereau-puant, Voy. de la Caille, 182. 



THE Ratel, according to Dr. Sparrman, is about forty inches in length, 

 from the extremity of the nofe to the infertion of the tail, which is about 

 twelve inches long. The nofe is fhort and pointed : it has no external 

 ears, but only a trifling border, which furrounds a large aperture, in which 

 the organs of hearing are placed. The top of the head is of a whitilh grey, 

 which colour extends the whole length of the back, and half way down 

 each fide : it is laterally bounded by a narrow, whitifli ftripe, which extends 

 from behind the ear to the end of the tail ; the extremity of the tail is of a 

 brownifh black, the reft of that part is of the fame colour as the back ; the 

 lower parts of the tides, the belly, legs, and feet, are nearly black : the toes 

 on the fore feet are furnilhed with claws, an inch and a half long ; thofe on 

 the hinder feet are more than three quarters of an inch : thefe claws have a 

 fliarp edge, which is double half way on the fore part of it, or rather 

 hollowed with a deep furrow. This conformation, added to the extraordinary 

 length of the claws on the fore feet, is well adapted to the manner in 



