218 Mr. O. Thomas on 



pliaggy liair of most species of the genus ; longest hairs of 

 back seldom attaining an inch in length. Hairs of face and 

 liead directed backwards as farasa line across the occiput, where 

 there is a distinct " meeting ridge " ; from this point to the 

 withers and on the sides of the neck they are directed forwards ; 

 on the withers there are no very distinct whorls *, the change 

 of direction to the backwardly-pointing body-hairs being 

 rather gradual. General colour deep brownish black. Marking 

 of the usual furcate type ; lateral white lines (which are more 

 truly white and less cream-coloured than usual) about half an 

 inch in breadth in front of the withers, then broadening to 

 about an inch to the loins, where they die away into narrow 

 lines of isolated white hairs leading towards but not on to tlie 

 top of the base of the tail. Median black line commencing on 

 the occiput about half an inch in front of the transverse crest, 

 evenly broadening backwards, about three fourths of an inch 

 broad on the neck, and just over 2 inches broad at its widest 

 point in the middle of the back. Terminal half of tail 

 grizzled, the under hairs black, the longer ones, which may 

 attain 3 inches in length, white. 



Skull rather narrow, with widely expanded zygomata. 

 Teeth of medium size. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in flesh): — 



Head and body 400 millim. ; tail 210, including terminal 

 tuft 274; hind foot (s. u.) 67; ear 31. 



Skull : basal length 69"5 ; occipito-gnatliic length in middle 

 line 80*5; greatest zygomatic breadth 51*4; least breadth 

 above meatus 38*3 ; greatest breadtli behind meatus 42'2 ; 

 least intertemporal breadth 19; palate length from gnathion 33. 

 Outer length of upper carnassial 7*1 ; greatest diameter of 

 upper molar 8'7 ; length of lower carnassial 8*9. 



Bah. Eten, Peru. Alt. 15 m. " Among sand-dunes." 



Type. Male. Original number 601. Collected 22nd Sep- 

 tember, 1899, by Perry O. Simons. 



This handsome animal is evidently the skunk of the low 

 hot desert regions along the coast of Northern Peru, and is 

 consequently distinguished by its unusually short thin pelage, 

 the fur being barely half the length of that of the allied 

 species and the underfur practically absent. In this respect 

 and in general appearance it has unusual resemblance to the 

 African zorilles. As was the case with the fox discovered 

 by Mr. Simons, it is probably a northern representative of 

 the Chilian form, but is clearly too different to bear the same 

 name. 



* There is a sort of whorl on one side, but this appears to be due to an 

 unfortunate crease in the skin just at this point. 



