BIOLOGICAL PAPERS. 177 



56. Canis nebrascensis Merr. Prairie Coyote. 



TtiiB Beems to be the form commonly found in Kansas. During the year 

 ending June 30, 1904, 18,425 were killed in the state, and six counties 

 are missing from the total. 



57. Vulpes fulvus Desmarest. Red Fox. 



Found in the eastern counties of the state. Probably descendants of 

 both indigenous and introduced parents. 



58. Vulpes velox Say. Swift Fox. 



Formerly common in western Kansas; now rare. 



59. Urocyon cinereoargenteus Schreber. Gray Fox. 



Found in the eastern part of the state ; rare. 



Family Ursid.ts. Bears. 



60. Ursus americanus Pallas. Black Bear. 



Reported by all the early explorers. Now extinct in the state. 



Family Procyonid.e. Raccoons. 



61. Procyon lotor Linn. 



Common in the wooded parts of the state and westward along streams 

 where there is scattered timber. 



Baseariscus astutus Licht. , the Northern Civet Cat, is found on Profes- 

 sor Knox's list of Kansas mammals, but I am unable to verify his 

 statement that it occurs in the state. 



Family Mu.stelid,e. Weasels, Otters, etc. 



62. Taxidea taxus Schreber. American Badger. 



Found throughout the state, but rarely in the eastern part. Abundant 

 on the plains. 



63. Taxidea taxus berlandieri Baird. Berlandier's Badger. 



A specimen in confinement at Kinsley has all or nearly all the external 

 characters of this southwestern form. The specimen is a young ani- 

 mal of the year and may change in color as it becomes more mature. 



64. Mephitis mesomelas varians Gray. Texas Skunk. 



Abundant throughout the state, though the northern Plains skunk. Me- 

 phitis hudsonica, may partly replace it in the extreme northeastern 

 counties. 



65. Spilogale interrupta Rafin. Little Striped Skunk. 



Abundant in eastern Kansas. 



66. Putorius vison lutreocephalus Harlan. Southern Mink. 



Rather common in eastern Kansas and along streams westward. 



67. Putorius nigripes Aud. and Bach. Black-footed Ferret. 



Found on the plains in western Kansas. Lives in prairie-dog burrows, 

 feeding almost entirely upon that pest. Not common and decreasing 

 in numbers. 



68. Putorius longicauda Bonaparte. Long-tailed Weasel. 



In eastern Kansas ; not very common. 

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