MEPHITIS. 325 



Genl. Char. Tail vertebr.-c two-thirds the length of head and 

 body. Bony palate with small, narrow emargination in the middle 

 of its posterior edge. Color black, with a white nuchal patch, 

 bifurcating behind and reaching to the tail, which is entirely black. 



Color. Black, narrow line of white on the forehead between 

 the eyes; a nuchal patch commences behind the ears and extends 

 to the shoulders, then bifurcates into two narrow lines, which ex- 

 tend along the side of the back, diverging most in its middle por- 

 tion, and approximating the base of the tail, opposite which it 

 abruptly ceases, the two an inch or more apart. The exterior of 

 the tail is entirely black; the bases of all the hairs are white, this 

 color reaching nearer to the end of the hairs along the median por- 

 tion. 



Measurements. Total length, 800; tail vertebra', 312; hind foot, 

 76; length of skull, 80; width, 51. 



483. milleri. {Mrphitis), Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xx, 1897, 

 p. 467- 



Type locality. Fort Lowell, near Tucson, Arizona. 



Genl. Char. Body slender, longer than head and body; nape 

 with a hood of spreading, elongated hair. 



Color. Black with white stripe low down on the sides from the 

 ear to the tail. Head with a narrow white stripe above and all 

 around subterminally; tail black, base of hairs white, under side all 

 white, except the terminal black ring; tuft at end white. Feet and 

 under parts black. 



Measurements. Total length, 790; tail vertebrre, 435; hind 

 foot, 73. 



483. mesomelas. {Mephitis), Licht., Darst. N. Saugth., 1S27, pi. 45, 

 fig- 2. 



Type locality. Louisiana. 



Gco^^r. Distr. Northern and eastern Texas, Oklahoma and 

 Louisiana. 



Genl. Char. Size large, tail bushy, truncated, no white at end. 

 Skull long and narrow; dentition heavy. 



Color. Black, narrow white frontal stripe, not reaching nuchal 

 patch, which is broad, square in front, narrowing posteriorly. Be- 

 hind the shoulders it separates into two broad, white bands, which 

 pass along the flanks to root of tail. Tail has the hairs white for 

 basal half, rest black. Some hairs are all white. 



Measurements. Total length, 731; tail vertebra^', 229; tail to end 

 of hairs, 299. Skull: occipital condyle to anterior border of pre- 

 maxilla;, 74; basilar length, 66; zygomatic breadth, 46; mastoid 



