Taxidea taxus (Schreber) American Badger 

 Not as above 59. 



59. Body color pattern definitely of black and clear white; claws not retractile; 



feet not webbed Skunks 60. 



Color brown; any whitish markings with an evident brownish or yellow 



tinge, or else all white, except the tip of the tail; either with the claws 



partly retractile or with the toes webbed 69. 



60. Usually with one or two white stripes on the body, or sometimes mostly 



black 61 



With more than two white stripes on the body, these stripes usually inter- 

 rupted to form a series of blotches or spots 63. 



61. White spot of head forking to form a pair of white bands, one on each 



side of the body; generally distributed 



Mephitis mephitis (Schreber) Striped Skunk 

 (Many intergrading subspecies, including nigra (P. & B.), 

 mesomelas Lichtenstein and estor Merriam) 

 With a broad, uninterrupted dorsal stripe from head to tail; along the 

 Mexican border 62. 



62. Under side of tail with only a few black hairs; Texas to Ariz,. 



Conepatus mesoleucus (Lichtenstein) Hog-nosed Skunk 

 Under side of tail with much black; coastal region of Texas 



Conepatus leuconotus texensis Merriam Texas Hog-nosed Skunk 



63. West of the Rockies 



Spilogale gracilis Merriam Western Spotted Skunk 

 (Many intergrading subspecies, including saxatilis (Merriam) 

 and phenax Merriam) 

 East of the Rocky Mountain crest 64. 



64. In the southeastern states to Alabama 65. 

 Eastward to Mississippi (mostly west of the Mississippi River) 66. 



65. With a white patch on the under side of the tail, near the base, as well 



as a white tip; Florida 



Spilogale amharvahs Bangs Florida Spotted Skunk 

 Tail black, except for the white tip; Maryland to Ala. 



Spilogale putorius (Linn.) Allegheny Spotted Skunk 



66. Very little or no white on the tail; prairie states 



Spilogale interrupta (Raf.) Prairie Spotted Skunk 

 Last quarter of the tail white 67. 



67. White stripes as narrow as, or narrower than, the black areas between 



them; Miss, to Texas 



Spilogale indianola Merriam Gulf Spotted Skunk 

 Lateral stripes usually wider than the black areas above them; distribu- 

 tion more westerly or northerly 68. 



68. White spot on forehead large; N. M. into Texas 



Spilogale leucopana Merriam Rio Grande Spotted Skunk 

 White spot on forehead narrow; N. M. into Colo. 



Spilogale tenuis Howell Rocky Mountain Spotted Skunk 



499 



