MAMMALS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY. 163 



Records, habits, description of species, etc. See data and remarks under 

 preceding species. 



Genus Mephitis Cuvier, Lecons d 1 Anatomic Compared, 1800, vol. i, 

 tabl. i. 



Southeastern Skunk. Mephitis mephitis putida (G. Cuvier). 



1798. Must.[ela] putida G. Cuvier, Tableau Elementaire del' Histoire 

 Naturelle des Animaux, p. 116. 



1901. Mephitis putida Allen, Bulletin American Museum Nat. History, N. 

 York, vol. 14, p. 333. 



Type locality. Eastern Pennsylvania and N. Jersey, especially the region 

 now comprised in Philadelphia, Delaware, Camden and Gloucester counties. 



Faunal distribution. Adopting HowelFs restriction of the habitat of this 

 skunk (North American Fauna, No. 20) it is found in the lower Canadian, 

 transition and upper austral zones ; Maine to N. Carolina, west to Indiana. 



Distribution in Pa. and N. J. Mostly abundant and generally of uniform 

 distribution over our whole territory, but like some other of our mammalia is 

 of very rare and fortuitous occurrence in many parts of southern N. J. It is 

 most abundant in rocky hilly country covered with deciduous growth, and be- 

 comes rare in extensively forested regions of coniferous timber. 



Records in N. J. The skunk is exceedingly rare in Camden Co. I have 

 not seen one in my life, but have smelt them twice in the last 30 years. It is 

 not rare, in fact very abundant, according to Dr. T. P. Price, in certain parts 

 of Ocean and east Burlington Cos. A few are found in Cape May Co. In 

 west Burlington Co. it is rare, as also in Gloucester Co. It is stated by Mr. 

 W. S. Williams to be extiuct in the region around Greenwich, Cumberland 

 Co., though formerly plentiful. Rhoads, 1902. 



Habits, etc. So implicitly does the skunk rely on its foul-smelling battery, 

 it often acts in the most peculiar ignorance of the common laws of self preser- 

 vation. If you come upon one abroad in the day time it acts as if short 

 sighted or unconscious of your presence and is likely to run almost against 

 you before it discovers its mistake. Meanwhile if you are an ignorant, timid 

 person you run off and tell some one you have been attacked by a skunk. If 

 more courageous, you may kick or throw stones and finally wish you had 

 done as the timid person did. After careful and painful study of Mr. Skunk, 

 both in his house and in mine, I think him the incarnation of that curt, in- 

 elegant, but often wholesome maxim, " Mind your own business." Fortu- 

 nately his poison is not deadly ; his fur, under more elegant names, is an 

 abiding source of comfort to those who despise and fear him most, and his 

 absent-minded, patient, mincing ways and curious arts disguise an ento- 



