196 ORDER V. 



cally, we have noted no departures from it in any 

 of the museums we have examined, excepting the 

 occurrence of specimens entirely black.* A second 

 species is no doubt to be admitted, consisting of 

 those with more than two longitudinal streaks, 

 which we shall name 



Meph. plurilineata, and refer to it the Polecat of 

 Catesby, with nine white stripes ; the Conepatl of 

 Buffon, perhaps a made up figure from Catesby 's, 

 but marked with six white stripes. 



Meph. varians, Gray. Black, with a narrow 

 white streak on the forehead ; large square spot on 

 nape; and two narrow streaks between the blade 

 bones; tail black, base of hairs white. Inhabits 

 Texas. 



Meph. Mexicanus. Fur very soft and silky, 

 black ; narrow streak on nose ; broad band across 

 the crown ; broad vertebral streak, and two narrow 

 dorsal streaks, and small spot on each shoulder 

 white. Inhabits Mexico. 



Tail short, bushy, sub-cylindrical, ending with a 

 pencil of hairs. 



Meph. bicolor. Length 15 inches'; tail 7 inches ; 

 fur soft, short, black ; oval spot on nose ; larger spot 

 on each temple in front of the ears ; broad stripe 

 on each side of the nape and fore part of the back ; 

 two narrow stripes between them ; two or three cross 



* In this species we include the Conepatl of Hernandez, 

 the Chinche of Buffon, the Chinche of Feuillee, Skunk of 

 Kalm, Puant of du Pratz, Zorra of Quito of Humboldt, and 

 probably the Zorillo of Gemelli Carreri. 



