OTARIID^E, PHOCID^E, MUSTELID^E, PROCYONHXE, AND URSIDjE. 253 



this orientation but with very widely separated brushes as though it were being observed 

 along the obtuse bisectrix. From the character of the pleochroism it would seem that 

 the axis of greatest elasticity should be the acute bisectrix, which would make the optical 

 character negative. 



SKUNK, Mephitis mephitica putida. Plate 65. 



The specimen was obtained by purchase from a collector in Florida, 

 and the blood drawn from the freshly killed animal into oxalate, laked with 

 ether, and centrifugalized. From the clear solution thus obtained the slide 

 preparations were made as usual. The blood crystallized rather readily, 

 and the crystals did not dissolve on slight increase of temperature. Exam- 

 ination with the microspectroscope showed them to be oxyhemoglobin, 

 but the solution showed traces of reduced hemoglobin which did not form 

 in crystals. While the blood crystallized readily, the crystals were not 

 easily measured on account of their strong prismatic habit. 



a 



267 



268 



Flos. 267, 268. Me- 

 phitis mephitica putida 

 Oxyhemoglobin. 



Oxyhemoglobin of Mephitis mephitica putida. 



Orthorhombic: Axial ratio a : 6 =1 : 0.4877. 



Forms observed: Unit prism (110), macrodome (101), macro- 

 pinacoid (100), base (001). 



Angles: The only angle obtained was that of the macrodome 

 101 A 101=52 approximately. The prism is squarish, but the axis 

 6 is distinctly longer than the axis a. 



Habit prismatic parallel to the vertical axis, and striated in the 

 same direction, especially on the macropinacoid and in that portion 

 of the crystal. The prismatic character and the striated habit of the 

 crystal as well as the habit of growth and of aggregation of the crys- 

 tals recalls the genus Cam's, although the prism appears to be more 

 nearly square and the dome not so flat. The crystals vary greatly 

 in length, the ratio of length to thickness in the longer crystals being 

 often as high as 75 : 1, while in the shorter crystals it falls to 15 : 1 

 or less. The crystals show a tendency to aggregate into large groups in 

 parallel orientation, parallel growths; but they also grow in spherulitic radiating clusters 

 and in radiating sheaf-like groups. No definite twins were observed. The usual crystal is 

 the unit prism and the macrodome (text figure 267), generally with striations marking the 

 position of the macropinacoid; this latter plane appears as a well-developed face in some 

 cases (text figure 268) and more rarely the base is developed on the end of the crystal. 



Pleochroism is rather marked, but the crystals show a decided red color, even when 

 the light vibrates along the elasticity axis of a. The colors are: a pale red, b stronger 

 red, c deep red. The double refraction is rather strong, especially when looking along 

 the macro-axis. The orientation of the elasticity axes is a=a, 6 = 6, c = <!. Extinction 

 is straight in all aspects that were observed. No interference figure was seen; the optical 

 character was not exactly determined, but it appears to be positive, judging from the 

 character of the double refraction. 



BADGER, Taxidea americana. Plate 67. 



The specimen was received from the National Zoological Park at 

 Washington, District of Columbia, during the summer and was kept frozen 

 in the refrigerating plant until examined. The blood had been collected 

 in oxalate, in our usual collecting tube; it was thawed and laked with 

 ether, and then centrifugalized for 3 hours. From the clear solution thus 

 obtained the slide preparations were made in the usual manner. Crystals 



