THE WEASEL FAMILY POLECAT GROUP. 



189 



unaccountable reason called "civet" by the furriers, be- 

 longs to the same genus as the common Skunk, but it is 

 a much smaller animal, with different cranial character- 

 istics, and it has the peculiar odor of the Poelcat. It also 

 differs in the white markings which it shows in an endless 

 variety of detail on its black fur, but which are always 

 so arranged as to form a lyre, more clearly defined on 

 some specimens than on others. This animal never ex- 

 ceeds a foot in length, and its tail is shorter than the 

 head and body. Its range is in the lower part of the 

 United States, and as far south as Yucatan and Guate- 

 mala. In working up these skins no attempt is made 

 to cut out the white stripes, but the furriers match them 

 so that on the finished article they will look like the lines 

 of one general design. The largest skins come from the 

 northern part of its habitat, the animals growing smaller, 

 coarser and fatter as they go south. 



LESSER SKUNK. 



SKUNK. 



Nearly allied to the above species is the long tailed 

 Skunk (Mustela-macrura), of Mexico, whose tail is longer 

 than the head and body combined. 



There is a white backed Skunk in South America 

 (Conepatus-mapurito), which is heavier than the others 

 and has a more pig-like snout with nostrils directed down- 



