ZOOLOGY — MAMMALS. 77 



Skunks are very common in the country west of the Cascade mountains, frequenting the 

 borders of woods and settlements. I have often seen them both alive and dead, and al> appeared 

 to be of the common eastern species. The commonest markings were black, with a narrow 

 white stripe running back from each shoulder. To show the persistence of the smell, I will 

 mention that wishing to obtain a skull, I took a stick and tried to separate it from what was 

 then only a mass of fur and bones, the animal having been dead about a year, but such an 

 overpowering odor arose that I was glad to retreat without the specimen. I afterwards got one 

 in California, where, being exposed to the sun, the scent had almost entirely left the dried 

 carcass. 



MEPHITIS BICOLOR. 



Little Striped .Skank. 



Mephitis hicolor, J. E. Gray, Charlesworth 's Mag. N. H. I, 1837, 581. 



Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 197. 

 Mephilis zorilla, Lichtenstein, Ueber Mephitis, Abh. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, for 1836, (1838,) 281 ; tab. ii, f. 2. 



AuD. & Bach N. Am. Quad. III., 1854, 276, (not figured.) 



Sp. Ch. — Smallest of North American species. Tail vertebrae, less than half the body ; with the hairs not much more than 

 half. Black, with broad white patch on forehead, and crescent before each ear ; four parallel dorsal stripes interrupted and 

 broken behind ; a shorter siripe on side of belly, running into a posterior transverse crescent, which are all white. Tail black 

 throughout, to base of hairs, except a pure white pencil at the end. 



This little skunk is abundant in Santa Clara valley, south of San Francisco. They are 

 commonly known by the name of pole cat, to distinguish them from the larger species of skunk. 

 The peculiar smell seems somewhat less strong than in that species, but in habits they much 

 resemble it, being very destructive to poultry and eggs, which their smaller size enables them 

 to get at easily by entering the buildings at night. As an offset to this mischief they probably 

 do much good by destroying the still more destructive " ground squirrels " of California, as I 

 attempted to prove to the farmers. They are exactly suited in size for pursuing the squirrels 

 into their holes, though I never heard that they had been seen doing so. Being nocturnal and 

 able to see in the dark, they can take them also at a disadvantage — while they are asleep. 



The one I obtained I poisoned with strychnine placed on meat in a hen house, which they 

 were in the habit of frequenting nightly. They also often came to a biitcher's shop to steal 

 meat and feed on the offal thrown away from it. The eyeballs are excessively prominent, and 

 shine after death with a fiery glare. The pupil is circular, and was much dilated, probably 

 by the strychnine — length 5^ inches ; tail 4 ; iris black ; nose flesh color. 



TAXIDEA AMERICANA, Waterh. 

 Badger. 



Baird, Gen. . Mammals, 1857, 202. 



The American badger is very abundant in the plain country east of the Cascade mountains^ 

 its burrows perforating the ground thickly in many places to the great danger of both horses and 

 riders. Yet our party never met with but two badgers by daylight, one of which I obtained. This, 

 by the recommendation of some of the hunters, was cooked, but though some could eat it, the 

 strong "doggy" flavor disgusted me, not to mention its extraordinary toughness and leanness. 

 It is unknown west of the Cascade mountains, though in California a species is said to be found. 



