Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 15.djvu/464

Rh 440 MAMMALIA [CARNIVOKA. antero -posterior direction than broad. Lower sectorial with a very large, low, tuberculated heel. Cranium elongated and depressed ; face long, narrow, and concave above. Bony palate extending as far backwards as the level of the glenoid fossa. Palatal bones dilated. Suborbital foramina very large. Vertebra? : C 7, D 16, L 4, S 4, C 20. Snout long, naked, mobile, and truncated, with large terminal nostrils, much like those of a Pig. Eyes small. Ears very small and rounded. Body compressed, rather than depressed. Limbs of moderate length and digitigrade in walking. Tail moderate, tapering. A full soft under fur, with longer, bristly hairs interspersed. The best-known species is A. collaris, the Sand-Bear or Blmlil-soor (i.e., Bear-Pig) of the natives, found in the mountains of the north-east of Hindustan and Assam. It is rather larger than the English Badger, higher in its legs, and very Pig-like in general aspect, of a light grey colour, with flesh-coloured snout and feet ; nocturnal and omnivorous. Other species or local varieties have been described by A. Milne-Edwards from North China and Tibet. Mydaiis. Dentition as the last, but the cusps of the teeth more acutely pointed. Cranium elongated, face narrow and produced. Suborbital foramen small, and the palate, as in all the succeeding genera of this group, produced backwards about midway between the last molar tooth and the glenoid fossrc. Vertebrae: C 7, D 14-15, L 6-5, S 3, C 12. Head pointed in front ; snout produced, mobile, obliquely truncated, the nostrils being inferior. Limbs rather short and stout. Tail extremely short, but clothed with rather long bushy hair. Anal glands largely developed, and emitting an odour like that of the American Skunks (Mephitis). One species, M. meliceps, the Teledu, a small burrowing animal, found in the mountains of Java, at an elevation of 7000 or more feet above the sea-level. Meles. Dentition : i f, c, p f , m ; total 38. The first pre- molar in both jaws extremely minute and often deciduous. Upper molar very much larger than the sectorial, subquadrate, as broad as long. Lower sectorial with a broad, low, tuberculated heel, more than half the length of the whole tooth. The postglenoid processes of the skull are so strongly developed, and the glenoid fossa is so deep, that the contlyle of the lower jaw is firmly held in its place even after all the surrounding soft parts are removed. Vertebra;: C 7, D 15, L 5, S 3, C 18. Muzzle pointed. Ears very short. Body stout, broad. Limbs short, strong, sub plantigrade. Tail short. The best-known species is the common Badger (M. taxus) of Europe and northern Asia, still found in many parts of England, where it lives in woods, is nocturnal, burrowing, and very omnivorous, feeding on mice, reptiles, insects, fruit, acorns, and roots. Other nearly allied species, M. leucurus and M. cliineiisis, are found in continental Asia, and M. anakuma in Japan. Taxidca. Dental formula as in Meles, except that the rudimen tary anterior premolars appear to be always wanting in the upper jaw. The upper sectorial much larger in proportion to the other teeth. Upper molar about the same size as the sectorial, triangular, with the apex turned backwards. Heel of lower sectorial less than half the length of the tooth. Skull very wide in the occipital region ; the lambdoidal crest very greatly developed, and the sagit tal but slightly, contrary to what obtains in Meles. Vertebrae : C 7, D 15, L 5, S 3, C (?). Body very stoutly built and depressed. Tail short. The animals of this genus are peculiar to North America, where they represent the Badgers of the Old World, resembling them much in appearance and habits. T. americana is the common American Badger of the United States. T. lerlan- dicri, the Mexican Badger, is perhaps only a local variety. Mellivora. Dentition : i |, c, p f , m ; total 32. Upper sectorial large, with its inner cusp quite at the anterior end of the blade, as in the following genera ; molar much smaller and trans versely extended, having a very small outer and a larger rounded inner lobe. Heel of lower sectorial very small, scarcely one-fourth of the whole length of the tooth, and with but one cusp. Tuber cular molar absent. Vertebras : C 7, D 14, L 4, S 4, C 15. Body stout, depressed. Limbs short, strong. Head depressed, nose rather pointed. External ears rudimentary. Tail short. The animals of this genus are commonly called Eatels. M. indica, from India, and M. ratel and M. leuconota from South and West Africa, have nearly the same general appearance and size, being rather larger than a common Badger. Their coloration is peculiar, all the upper surface of the body, head, and tail being ash-grey, while the lower parts, separated by a distinct longitudinal boundary line, are black. They live chiefly on the ground, into which they burrow, but can also climb trees. They feed on small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, and are said to be very partial to honey. Helictis. Dentition : i f, c, p i, m J ; total 38. Upper scc- loiial with a large bicusped inner lobe. Molar smaller, wider transversely than in the antero-posterior direction. Lower sectorial with heel about one-third the length of the tooth. Skull elon gated, rather narrow and depressed. Facial portion especially narrow. Infraorbital foramen very large. Head rather small and produced in front, with an elongated, obliquely truncated, naked snout. Ears small. Body elongated. Limbs short. Tail short or moderate, bushy. Several species are described (H. orientalis, moschata, nipalcnsis, subaurantiaca), all from eastern Asia, small animals compared with the other members of the subfamily, climb ing trees with agility and living much on fruit and berries as well as on small mammals and birds. Ictonyx. Dentition: i f, c |, p f, m ; total 34. In general characters the teeth much resemble those of the Polecats (Mustela}, being more delicately cut and sharply cusped than in most of the foregoing. Upper molar smaller than the sectorial, narrow from before backwards. Lower sectorial with a small narrow heel and distinct inner tubercle. General form of body musteline. Limbs short. Fore feet large and broad, with five stout, nearly straight, blunt, and non-retractile claws, of which the first and fifth are considerably shorter than the others. Tail moderate, with longer hairs towards the end, giving it a bushy appearance. Hair gene rally long and loose. The best-known species of this genus, I. zorilla, the Cape Polecat, was placed by Cuvier in the genus Mustela, by Lichtenstein in Mephitis, and in many characters it forms a transition between these genera. It is about the size of an English Polecat, but conspicuous by its coloration, having broad, longitudinal bands of dark brown, alternating with white. Its odour is said to be as offensive as that of the American Skunks. From the Cape of Good Hope it ranges as far north as Senegal. Another species, /. frcnata, from Sennaar, has been described. Subfamily Mustelinas. Toes short, partially webbed; claws short, compressed, acute, curved, often semiretractile. Upper pos terior molar of moderate size, wide transversely. Kidneys simple. Terrestrial and arboreal in habits. Galictis. Dentition : i f, c -, p f, m J ; total 34. Molars small but stout ; upper sectorial with the inner lobe near the middle of the inner border of the tooth. Lower sectorial with heel small, and inner tubercle small or absent. Body long. Limbs short ; claws non-retractile. Palms and soles naked. Head broad and depressed. Tail of moderate length. The best-known species, G. vittata, the Grison (genus Grisonia, Gray), and G. larlara, the Tayra (genus Galcra, Gray), are both South- American ; G. alla- mandi is an intermediate form. Mustela. Dentition: i -f, c {, p ^, m i; total 38. Upper sectorial with inner lobe close to the anterior edge of the tooth. Molar nearly as large as sectorial. Lower sectorial with small inner tubercle. Vertebra} : C 7, D 14, L 6, S 3, C 18-23. Body long and slender. Limbs short, digitigrade. Feet rounded; toes short, with compressed, acute, semiretractile claws. Tail moderate or long, more or less bushy. One species is British, M. martcs, the Pine Marten ; the remainder inhabit the northern regions of Europe, Asia, and America. Many of the species, as the Sable (M. zibel- lina), yield fur of great value. See MARTEN. Pntorius. The dentition differs from that of Mustela chiefly in the absence of the anterior premolars of both jaws. The teeth arc more sharply cusped, and the lower sectoiial wants the inner tubercle. External characters generally similar to those of the Martens, but the body is longer and more slender, and the limbs even shorter. They are all small animals, of very active, blood thirsty and courageous disposition, living chiefly on birds and small mammals, and are rather terrestrial than arboreal, dwelling among rocks, stones, and outbuildings. Some of the species, as the Stoat or Ermine (P. ermineus), inhabiting cold climates, undergo a seasonal change of colour, being brown in summer and white in winter, though the change docs not affect the whole of the fur, the end of the tail remaining black in all seasons. This is a large mus, having a very extensive geographical range throughout the Id and New Worlds, and includes the animals commonly known as Weasels, Polecats, Ferrets, and Minks. Gulo. Dentition : i f, c, p |, m % ; total 38. Crowns of the teeth very stout. Upper molar very much smaller than the sec torial. Lower sectorial large, with very small heel and no inner tubercle. The dentition, though really but a modification of that of the Weasels, presents a great general resemblance to that of Hyama. Vertebral: C 7, D 15, L 5, S 3, C 15. Body and limbs stoutly made. Feet large and powerful, subplantigrade, with large, compressed, much curved, and sharp-pointed claws. Soles of the feet (except the pads of the toes) covered with thick bristly hairs. Ears very small, nearly concealed by the fur. Eyes small. Tail short, thick, and bus-by. Fur full, long, and rather coarse. The one species, the Wolverene or Glutton, G. luscus, an inhabit ant of the forest regions of northern Europe, Asia, and America, much resembles a small Bear in appearance. It is a very powerful animal for its size, climbs trees, and lives on squirrels, hares, beavers, reindeer, and is said to attack even horses and cows. Family True molars f, obtusely tuberculated. No alisphcnoid canal. Habitat exclusively American. P-iocyon. Dentition: i fj, c, p -J, m f ; total 40. The molar teeth broad and tuberculated. The upper sectorial with three cusps along the outer margin, and a very broad bicusped inner lobe,