216 
THE MAMMALS OF EGYPT. 
Mellivoea eatel, Sparrm, (Plate XXXIX.) 
“ Fizzler Weasel/^ Pennant, Synops. Quad. 1771, p. 234. 
Viverra ratel, Sparrm. Act. Stockh. i. 1777, t. 4. f. 2; K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1777, p. 49, t. 4. f. 3. 
Viverra capensis, Schreb. Saug. iii. 1778, p. 450, t. 125. 
Viverra mellivora, Gmel., L. Syst. Nat. i. 1788, p. 91. 
IJrsus melivorus, Cuv. Tabl. Elem. Hist. Nat. 1798, p. 112. 
Taxus mellivorus, Tiedem. Zool. i. 1808, p. 377. 
Gulo capensis, Desm. Encycl. Method., Mamm. 1820, p. 176. 
Gulo mellivorus, Riipp. Neue Wirbeltb., Sang. 1836, p. 35. 
Ratelus mellivorus, Wiegm. Arcb. Naturg. iv. i. 1838, p. 278. 
Ratelus capensis, Heugl. Reise N.O.-A£r. ii. 1877, p. 38. 
Form somewhat badger-like but heavier, with blunt rounded nose; ears almost 
without external conch ; fore limbs, with feet and claws, very much more powerful than 
the hinder extremities ; coat rather short, harsh, and straight, without wool-hair. The 
dorsal area, from the forehead on a line with the posterior canthus of the eye to the 
base of the tail, grey, formed of a mixture of black and white hairs in about equal 
proportions ; the remainder of the animal, coal-black. 
The margin of the light dorsal area is square-cut across the forehead; its lateral 
border, being about 12 or 15 mm. above the corner of the eye, passes along the upper 
margin of the suppressed ear-conch, and backwards in a straight line through the 
middle of the shoulder, slightly descending on the trunk and gradually rising to the 
base of the tail. The margin of this area, excepting on the haunches, is almost 
pure white; the tail is black, the grey sometimes extending along half its length. 
Occasionally the tail has also a grey or w^hite tip. 
Dr. Anderson gives the following measurements of two freshly-killed specimens:— 
Suakin Hills, 15.1.94, 
cf. 
$. 
inm. 
mm. 
Snout to vent . 
610 
Vent to tip of tail, witbout bair . 
158 
Snout to eye . 
51 
Length of eye. 
10 
Eve to ear, external meatus . 
42 
Length of tarsus . 
95 
