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GENUS MEPHITIS.— Cuv. 



DENTAL FORMULA. 



Incisive g ; Canine j^ ; Molar ^^ = 34. 



Canine teeth, very strong, conical ; two small anterior cheek-teeth, or 

 false molars, above, and three below, on each side. The superior tuber- 

 culous teeth, very large, as broad as they are long ; inferior molars 

 having two tubercles on the inner side. 



Head, short ; nose, somewhat projecting ; snout, in most of the species 

 blunt. 



Feet, with five toes ; toes of the fore-feet, armed with long, curved 

 nails, indicating the habit of burrowing in the earth ; heel very little 

 raised in walking. 



Hairs on the bod}^ usually long, and on the tail, very long. 



The anal glands secrete a liquor which is excessively fetid. The 

 various species of this genus burrow in the ground, or dwell in fissures 

 of rocks, living on poultry, bird's eggs, small quadrupeds, and insects. 

 They move slowly, and seldom attempt to run from man, unless they 

 chance to be near their burrows. They are to a considerable extent, 

 gregarious ; large families being occasionally found in the same hole. 



In the recent work of Dr. Lichtenstein, (Ueber die Gattung Mephitis, 

 Berlin, 1838,) seventeen species of this genus are enumerated, one of 

 which is found at the Cape of Good Hope, two in the United States of 

 America, and the remainder in Mexico and South America. 



The generic name Mephitis, is derived from the latin word Mephitis, 

 a strong odour. 



