0)1 the Skunk. 361 



In tlie recent work of Dr. Lichenstcin, (Ueber die Gattung 

 Mephitis, Berlin, 1838,) seventeen species of this genus are enu- 

 merated, one of which is found at the Cape of Good Hope, two in 

 the United States of America, and the remainder in Mexico and 

 South America. 



The generic name. Mephitis, is derived from the Latin word 

 mephitis, a strong odour. 



Mephitis Chinga. 



Specific Characters. — Size of a cat; general colour, 

 hlackish-hrown, with ivhite longitudinal stripes on the back ; many 

 varieties in its white markings ; tail long and bushy. — (Audubon 

 and.Bachman, vol. 1, page 317.) 



This little animal has a broad, fleshy body, wider at the hips 

 than at the shoulders, long coarse fur, and short legs. The head 

 is small ; nose, obtuse, covered with hair to the snout, which is 

 naked ; ears, shoit, broad and rounded ; feet, broad, covered witli 

 hair, concealing the nails ; palms, naked ; trunk of tail, nearly half 

 as long as the. body. The hair on the tail is very long and bushy ; 

 the general colour blackish-brown; a white stripe commences on 

 the nose, and runs to the top of the head ; another patch of white 

 on the back of the neck, and two stripes of the same on each side 

 of the back. Sometimes the tail is tipped with white, but the 

 amount of this colour varies a good deal on the^different indivi- 

 duals. 



The skunk is carnivorous, its prey being small birds, eggs, 

 insects, mice, frogs and lizards. It is particularly destructive in 

 the poultry yard. Like the fox, it burrows in the ground, but 

 generally in a flat surface, rather than in the side of a hill, as is 

 the habit with the former. These holes extend from six to eio-ht 

 feet horizontally, about two feet beneath the surface, and terminate 

 in a chamber of considerable dimensions, where there is a large 

 and comfortable bed of dry leaves. In this apartment, during 

 winter, a number of skunks, sometimes, it is said, from five to 

 fifteen, may be found snugly coiled up. Some of the dens have 

 several entrances to the principal chamber. They retire to their 

 holes in the latter end of autumn, and do not come out again 

 until spring, like the bear, supporting existence upon the fat 

 accumulated during the summer season. In the Southern States 

 they are at large during the whole year, the climate being suflS- 

 ciently warm during the winter months to suit their organization. 



