48 VERTEBRATES : MAMMALS. 



size of the common otter, the color blackish, fur very 

 long and soft, and very valuable. 



The Genus Mephitis Skunks is characterized by an 

 elongated body, pointed nose, fossorial feet, long and bushy 

 tail, upper hind molar very large and nearly square, and 

 black color with white markings. The skunks are, more- 

 over, characterized among all other animals by their well- 

 known and almost intolerable odor, which they emit when 

 disturbed. The dental formula is about the same as that 

 of Putorius. Skunks are nocturnal, and feed upon beetles 

 and other small animals, and upon eggs. They walk on 

 most of the sole of the foot, with the back much curved 

 and tail erect. Five species are found in North America. 

 The White-backed Skunk, M. mesoleuca, Licht, of 

 Texas and Mexico. 



The Long-tailed Skunk, M. varians, Gray, of Texas 

 and Mexico. 



The California Skunk, M. occidentalis, Baird, of the 

 western coast of the United States. 



The Common Skunk, M. chinga, 

 Tied., of the United States north 

 of Texas and east of the Missouri 

 plains. 



The Little Striped Skunk, M. 

 bicolor, Gray, of Southern Texas 

 and California. 



The Genus Taxidea Badgers 

 is characterized by a stout, ro- 

 bust, depressed body, very short tail, 



Skunk, M. china, Tied. , , , r . 



much enlarged fore claws adapted 

 to digging, and by a wedge-shaped skull. 



The American Badger, T. americana, Waterh., of Ar- 

 kansas, thence northward and westward, is rather less 

 than two feet long to the tail, which is about six inches ; 

 the general color grayish above, light beneath. The 



