hand, have expressly designated them by two different names, Meles and Taxus. The last of these names has been adopted by naturalists for the genus, the first for the species. Thus the Badger is the Taxus Meles of methodical catalogues.

There is at present, in Mr. Cross's collection at Exeter Change, an albino variety of the Badger, of an uniform. pale yellow colour, with red eyes.

Four species of the Linnæan families Viverra and Mustela have been separated by more modern methodical writers, and formed into a distinct genus. To these others have been added, which altogether compose the group or subgenus GULO of our author.

The teeth, and consequently the regiinen and consequent habits of this group, are much more nearly allied to those of the Weasels than of the preceding subgenera; but they bring the heel to the ground in walking. They may therefore be treated as intermediate between the digitigrades and plantigrades, possessing most of the physical powers and mental impulses of the former, combined with the mode of locomotion peculiar to the latter.

They have six incisors in each jaw, with a strong canine tooth on each side. There are five or four cheek-teeth on each side in the upper jaw, and six in the lower. The two first in the upper jaw when there are but four, and the three when there are five, are small unicuspidatous teeth, and may be called false carnivorous teeth, increasing successively in size; the following or carnivorous tooth is large and strong, furnished with two points on the inner side, and a trenchant edge in front. The last is a small tuberculous or flattish tooth.

In the lower jaw the four first are false, presenting each but one point or edge; the fifth is long and large, presenting two trenchant points; the last is nearly flat. All the

teeth touch each other successively. Here then we see a decided departure from the flattish surfaces of the cheekteeth of the preceding divisions, a vestige of which only may be said to be found in the last cheek-tooth of this. The proportions of these flat to trenchant surfaces bespeak, almost with mathematical accuracy, the sort of food proper to the animal, and all those traits of character both physical and moral dependant upon that fact.

The head of these animals is long; the ears short and rounded, and the tongue smooth or rough in the different species; the legs are very short, and the body in general so elongated as almost to qualify them for the epithet vermiformed, which has been bestowed on some of the following divisions. They have no anal pouch, but a sort of vestige of it in some slight folliculi or folds of skin.

They have five toes, deeply divided, terminated by long bent nails, which rather approximate them to the foregoing than the succeeding divisions, as they seem better calculated for digging than offensive warfare.

The Common Glutton (Mustela Gulo of Linnæus, and Ursus Gulo of Gmelin) has the muzzle as far as the eyebrows black; the eyes small and black; the space between the eyebrows and the ears white mixed with brown; the lower jaw and the interior of the two feet are spotted with white; the legs, tail, back, and belly, are brownish black, but the sides of the body from the shoulders to the tail are maroon colour. There is no tubercle on the heel, which barely comes in contact with the ground when the animal runs. The body altogether is heavy. It is about the size of the Badger. It does not become torpid in winter.

The voracity of this animal, though excessive to a high degree, has been greatly exaggerated. To minister to this voracity it appears to have recourse to expedients in aid of ts physical lack of powers, which seem otherwise to be inferior to its wants. When a sufficient supply of small

quadrupeds and birds cannot be procured, it is said to conceal itself on the horizontal branch of some tree, from which it will drop on Deer, even Horses, or other animals that may pass beneath, holding its situation and sucking their blood, till faintness and loss of blood sink them a complete captive to its voracity. When tamed, it has been said to have eaten thirteen pounds of flesh in a day.

The Common Glutton inhabits all the Arctic regions, Norway, Canada, and the uncultivated parts of the United States, where it is well known by its depredations on the magazines of provisions provided by the Indians.

Edwards describes the Quick hatch or Wolverene, which appears to be no other than the American variety of this species. His specimen had lost an eye, and from this trivial circumstance Linnæus applied to it the specific epithet of Luscus. The American Gluttons seem to be paler in colour those of the Old World.

The Grison (Viverra Vittata, Lin.) is one of the few animals that have the fur of a deeper colour underneath than on the back. The head, from between the eyes, top and sides of the neck, and back, crupper, flank, and tail, are of a pale gray, each hair being coloured alternately black and yellowish white; the muzzle, lower jaw, under part of the neck, paws, and belly are black; a pale gray or whitish line from each side of the head, which goes from between the eyes, passes over the ears to the sides of the neck.

The body is elongated, and its step is more decidedly plantigrade than in the common species. The toes are semi-webbed; the ears are small; the tongue rough; the eye-pupils round; and it has slight mustachios. The fur is of two sorts: woolly, of a pale gray colour, and silky black or annulated black and white, longest on the back, flanks, and tail. It measures about eighteen inches from nose to tail, which is about six inches long.

It is a very ferocious little animal, killing and devouring small quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, &c.; and although capable

of domestication, to a certain degree, and apparently docile, when confined and well supplied with food, it will never fail to evince the sanguinary cruelty of its nature, whenever a less powerful creature falls within its reach.

It inhabits South America, especially Paraguay, where it is very common; Buenos Ayres, and the vicinity of Surinam, where, however, it is scarce.

An individual, possessed by M. F. Cuvier, had, notwithstanding its natural ferocity, been tamed to a very considerable degree. It appeared to recognise no person in particular, but it was fond of play, and, for that purpose, all comers were alike to it. It seemed to derive pleasure from being stroked down the back with the hand. When invited to play, it would turn over, return with its paws the caresses addressed to it, bite gently the fingers it could seize, but never so as to hurt or wound them. One might almost have imagined that it felt the degree of resistance which the skin was capable of making, and proportioned the force of its bite accordingly, when it meant only to express its joy. It knew the fingers of a person without seeing them. Nevertheless, this animal preserved its ferocity for all those living beings that could becomeits prey. Even when satiated with food, it testified, in a lively manner, the desire of getting possession of such animals. One day, it broke the bars of its cage to attack a Lemur that was within reach, which it mortally wounded. When it could catch a bird, it killed it directly, and laid it by for provision, as was its custom to do with the meat it received, when it had eaten sufficiently.

The Taira or Galera of Brown's Jamaica, (Mustela Barbara) is about the size of the Common Marten, to which, also, it bears a similarity, in general form. It is this species which is said to have but four cheek-teeth in the upper jaw, on each side. The fur is uniformly black, except thai there is a large white patch covering the under part of the throat.