. iv. 19 



N. Am. and Old World, abundant. (P. noveboracensis, 

 cicognanii) etc., of authors.) 



3. P. lutreolus, Cuvier. COMMON MINK. Brownish 

 chestnut ; tail black or nearly so ; length of body 15 

 to 20 inches. N. A. and Old World. (P. mson, Gapper.) 



3. GULO, Storr. WOLVERINES. 



1. G. luscus, (L.) Sabine. WOLVERINE. Dark brown ; 

 legs and beneath black. N. U. S. and N. 



4. TAXIDEA, Waterhouse. BADGERS. 



1. T. americana, (Bodd.) Baird. AMERICAN BADGER. 

 Chiefly grayish. Wisconsin, N. and W. 



5. MEPHITIS, Cuvier. SKUNKS. 



1. M. mephiiica, (Shaw) Baird. COMMON SKUNK. 

 Usually black with tip of tail, dorsal stripes and nuchal 

 patch white; sometimes all black or even nearly all 

 white. Mexico to Arctic regions*, an abundant and fa- 

 miliar species. ( M. chinga, Tiedemann.) 



6. LUTRA, Linnaeus. OTTERS. 



1. L. canadensis, Sabine. AMERICAN OTTER. Liver- 

 brown; length 4 feet. U. S. 



FAMILY IV. URSID^E. 



( The Bears. ) 



Plantigrade Carnivora having the body thick and 

 clumsy. Tail rudimentary. Teeth 42 ; molars broad and 

 tuberculated, according with the omnivorous diet. Species 

 few and widely distributed, in North America, there are 

 probably but two, although many have been described; 

 these are, as has been shown by Mr. J. A. Allen, the 



