MUSTEDID.K 241 



below, a white spot on the forehead; more or less white about 

 the corners of the mouth. 



Length about 400 mm. (15.75 indies); tail vertebrc-e 165 

 (6.50) ; hind foot 46 (1.80) ; ear from crown 15 (.60). 



Type locality, Nicasio, Marin County. California. 



^^'estern Spotted Skunks are common in many of the val- 

 leys of central and southern California and in northern Lower 

 California. They do not ordinarily rang-e as high in the moun- 

 tains as the larger Skunks do. The odor of the Spotted Skunk 

 is more pmigent than tliat of the larger species, but it is not as 

 lasting. The only ^^'ay that I know of to kill this or any other 

 species of Skunk without its emitting its odor is by drowning. 

 By using a box trap and carrying it to water and slowly im- 

 mersing it no scent will be emitted. If a steel trap is used fasten 

 it to the end of a long pole and the animal can be slowly dragged 

 to the water and drowned. As long as the animal faces one 

 there is no danger; but if it turns about stop and keep quiet un- 

 til it faces about again. A Skunk will bear some pulling about 

 if carefully handled; they do not waste their means of defense un- 

 necessarily. Sometimes a Spotted Skunk will eat a bit of fresh 

 meat while still in the trap, then a little strychnine will make 

 them quiet ; the meat can be reached to the animal on the end of 

 a pole if one moves slowly and carefully. 



The gait of Spotted Skunks is commonly a trot. The breed- 

 ing season is about April, judging from the size of young Skunks 

 seen in summer. They are very bold, and have so much confi- 

 dence in their means of offense and defense that they seldom run 

 from anything. Their food is much like that of the larger 

 species — that is. mice, birds, eggs, poultry, insects and grubs. I 

 have found parts oi a snake in one's stomach. Their small size 

 enables them to enter almost any hole that will admit a weasel or 

 mink. These little Skunks are often vei-y destructive of poul- 

 try, but there is another reason for destroying them; it is a well 

 established fact that their bite does sometimes cause a form of 

 hydrophobia. Not ever}^ bite of a Skunk will induce this dis- 



