340 MAMMALIA : FER^E. LIII. 



rangular, very large, with an outer cutting ridge ; claws non-retractile ; 

 fore-claws lengthened, fossorial. (Mephitince.) 

 c. Teeth 34; tail long and bushy; anal secretion very strong-scented. 



MEPHITIS, 597. 

 bb. Auditory bulla much inflated, not constricted. 



d. Last molar of upper jaw enlarged, sub-triangular ; toes straight, with 



long, non-retractile claws. (Melince.) 



e. Body robust; tail very short; teeth 32. . . . TAXIDEA, 598. 

 dd. Last molar of upper jaw short, transverse; toes short, arched, the 



claws retractile. (Mustelines.) 

 f. Feet sub-plantigrade; body stout; tail very full and bushy; 



teeth 38 GULO, 599. 



ff. Feet digitigrade; body slender. 



g. Teeth 38 ; sectorial tooth with an internal tubercle. 



MUSTELA, 600. 

 gg. Teeth 34 ; sectorial tooth without internal tubercle. 



PUTORIUS, 601. 



596. LUTRA Linnaeus. (Lat., otter.) 



1125. L. hudsonica (Lacepede). AMERICAN OTTER. Liver- 

 brown. L. 45. T. 15. N". Am., aquatic. (Mustela canadensis 

 Turton, not of Schreber.) 



597. MEPHITIS Cuvier. (Lat., a bad odor.) 

 a. Skull not depressed, its upper outline irregularly convex. (Mephitis.) 



1126. M. mephitica (Shaw). COMMON SKUNK. Usually black, 

 with tip of tail, dorsal stripes and nuchal patch white; sometimes 

 all black or even nearly all white. L. 28. T. 9. Hudson's Bay 

 to Mexico, abundant, its odor " mephitic " beyond comparison. 



aa. Skull depressed, its upper outline nearly straight. (Spilogale Gray.) 



1127. M. putorius (L.). LITTLE STRIPED SKUNK. Black, 

 with white patch on forehead ; four parallel dorsal stripes, 

 broken behind ; tail black, with white pencil at tip. Size very 

 small. L. 15. T. 4. Wis. (Hoy) to Ga., and S. W. (Lat, 

 ill-scented.) 



598. TAXIDEA Waterhouse. (Taxus, a related genus ; 

 flSos, form.) 



1128. T. americana(Boddaert). AMERICAN BADGER. Chiefly 

 grayish. L. 27. T. 5. Wis. to Tex. and W., formerly E. to Ohio. 



599. GULO Storr. (Lat., glutton.) 



1129. G. gulo (L.). WOLVERENE. Blackish; a pale lateral 

 band meeting its fellow above root of tail ; forehead pale ; fur 

 shaggy. L. 30. T. 8. N. Y. to Col. and N. (Eu.) 



600. MUSTELA Linnseus. (Lat., weasel.) 



1130. M. americana Turton. SABLE. PINE MARTEN. Brown, 

 not darker below than above, usually a tawny throat-patch. Ears 

 high, sub-triangular. L. 24. T. 8. Me. to Ore., and N. 



