FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



General Description.-A heavy-bodied, black and white 

 niammal, with large bushy tail, and well-developed scent- 

 glands capable of forcibly discharging fluid of penetrating and 

 disagreeable odor. Head proportionally small; bofy robust 

 about size of House-cat; legs short; tail large and bushy; feet 



Fig. 31. Large Striped Skunk 



semiplantigrade; claws of forefeet well developed for digging; 

 pelage composed of long, hard hairs over a short, soft under- 

 fur- color pattern conspicuous black and white; nocturnal and 

 crepuscular in habit, but may sometimes be seen about m 

 daytime; slow-moving and deliberate in behavior. 

 Color.— Sexes colored alike. 



Upperpart glistening black, with broad white stripe or 

 band from nape to shoulders, continuing to base of tail as a 

 pair of lateral stripes enclosing a median black area; a narrow 

 white stripe along nose to nape; tail black and white m vary- 

 ing proportions, all tail hairs white at base; underparts black. 

 Considerable variation from this pattern is shown by 

 individuals; some races more variable than others. 

 Young striped like adults. 



Measurements.-Males slightly larger than females. Total 

 length, males, 24.5 inches, females, 23 inches; tail vertebra, 

 males, 7.5 inches, females, 6.6 inches; hmd foot, males, 3-1 



126 



