MEPHITIS. 509 
Genl. Char. Similar to M. occidentalis, but smaller; mastoids less 
prominent; rostrum and palate longer; lateral tooth row and width 
of molars greater. 
Color. Black; stripe on top of head, triangular patch on nape 
and two narrow stripes to middle of tail, white; rest of hairs on tail 
black with white bases. 
Measurements. Total length, 665; tail vertebrae, 273; hind foot, 
72. Skull: basal length, 66.9; Hensel, 64.5; greatest zygomatic width, 
47.4; mastoid width, 38.7; width at postorbital processes, 22.2; 
interorbital constriction, 19.1; palatal length, 27.3; postpalatal 
length, 27.2. 
mesomelas estor (Mephitis), Merr., N. Am. Faun., No. 3, 1890, p. 81 
pl. x, fig.1. Elliot, Syn. N. Am. Mamm., r1go1, p. 326. 
Merriam’s SKUNK. 
Type locality. San Francisco Mountain, Coconino County, 
Arizona. | 
Geogr. Distr. States of Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico, into 
Arizona. 
Genl. Char. Size small; tail short; soles naked. Skull: palate 
not reaching posterior line of the last molar; distinct pit between the 
bulla and postglenoid process absent. 
Color. Narrow frontal stripe and nuchal patch white, the latter 
occupying entire occipital region, and extending narrowly on the 
shoulders, then expanding over all the lower back and rump (some- 
times in the center of the back a narrow black stripe appears amid 
the white), and then continues over the tail extending beyond the 
tip. Through this thin white ‘‘veil’’ the black beneath shows. 
Under parts black with white patches on throat. 
Measurements. Total length, 640; tail vertebre, 256; pencil, 140; 
hind foot, 67. Skull: occipito-nasal length, 60; Hensel, 53.5; zygo- 
matic width, 40; width of orbital processes, 21; palatal length, 22; 
postpalatal length, 32; length of nasals, 10; width of upper molar, 8; 
length of mandible, 42; height at coronoid process, 19. 
A. Leucomitra. 
Skull: Anterior palatine foramina large, rounded; audital bulle 
much inflated; zygomata often nearly parallel to the skull; paroc- 
cipital processes directed outward, pointed; posterior margin of 
palate even. Size medium, form slender; hairs of nape lengthened, 
directed laterally, shaping a hood. 
