poe SE OP QR CR wR rac SIR cs i On I 
Hit, Quad. N° 207.— Smellie, v. 297+ 
TEESEL. With fmall and rounded ears: the ground color 
of the whole animal black, marked on the back and fides 
with five long parallel lines of white; one extending from the head 
along the top of the back to the bafe of the tail; with two others on 
each fide, the higheft of which reaches a little way up the tail: the 
tail is long, and very bufhy towards the end. 
This fpecies varies in the difpofition of the ftripes, and I fufpec& 
the male is entirely black, as defcribed by M. Du Pratz*; who fays, 
that the female has rings of white intermixed. If that is the cafe, 
the Coa/e, which M. de Buffout received from Virginia, is of this 
kind. It is of an uniform color; but what is a ftronger proof of 
their differing only in fex, is the agreement in number of toes in the 
fore feet, there being four on each; an exception to the charaéter of 
this Genus. 
In fize it is equal to an European Pole-cat, but carries its back 
more elevated. 
Thefe animals are found from Pen/ylvania as far as Louifiana, where 
they are known by the name of the Pole-cat{ or Skunk; which is 
given indifferently to both of thefe foetid beatts. 
Nature hath furnifhed this and the following a fpecies of defence 
fuperior to the force either of teeth or claws. The French mott juftly 
call thefe animals enfans du Diadle, or children of the Devil, and Bétes 
puantes, or the ftinking beafts; as the Swedes beftow on them that of 
Fifkatta. The peftiferous vapour which it emits from behind, when 
it is either attacked, purfued, or frightened, is fo fuffocating and 
fcetid, as at ence to make the boldeft affailant retire with precipita- 
® Vol. ii. 67. +. xill. Coa/e, p. 288. Le Conepute (the female) ibid. tab, 
XXXViil. XI, t Catefby, ii. tab. 62. 
Me tion, 
83 
32. STRIATED 
