48 



their homes are burrows in. the ground or dens in rocks and logs ; the 

 form is stout, .the legs short, and the body low ; the tail is bushy, and the 

 15 elage loose ; the produced and enlarged snout gives them a somewhat 

 hog-like physiognomy. They agree with the Badgers, and are unlike 

 other Mustelidse in having a complete, bony septum separating the poste- 

 rior nares. 



"Kie leading feature, however, of the Skunks is the anal glands, com- 

 mon to the Ma lelidm, but in this group reaching the maximum of 

 development, and secreting a fluid which is the most penetrating, 

 diffusible and intolerable of animal efHuvia, affording to these otherwise 

 inoffensive, and almost defenseless creatures a means of self-preservation 

 as unique as it is effectual, habitual reliance upon which modify the 

 physiogomy of the entire genus, and impresses its whole nature. 



Mephitis mephitica. Baird. 

 Common Skonk. 



1792, Vwerra mephitica, Shaw, Mus. Lever., 1792, 173, No. 4, pi. 6; Gen. 

 Z06I., i, 1800; 390, pi. 94, middle fig. 



1808. Mephitis chinga. Tied., Zool., i, 1808, 862 (partly).— Lictt., Darstell. 

 Saug., 1827-34, pi. 45, f. 1 ; Abh. Akad. Wis. Berl. for 1836, 1838, 

 280.— Maxim., Reise N. A., i, 1839, 250 ; Arch. f. Naturg., 1861,—; 

 Verz. N. A. Saug., 1862, 42.— Wagn., Suppl. Schreb., ii, 1841, 

 198.— Schinz, Syn., i, 1844, 323, No. 13.— Aud. & Bach., Q. N. 

 A., i, 1849, 317, pi. 42.— Giebel, Saug., 1855, 766.— Fitzinger, 

 Naturg. Saug., i, 1861, 315, f. 63. 



1820. Mephitis americana, var. K, Desm., Mamm., i, 1820, 186. (" Mustella ", 

 lapsu. Includes all the American Skunks, vars. A— R) ; Nouv. 

 Diet., xxi, 515 (var. 7).— J. Sab., App. Frankl. Journ., 1823, 653.— 

 Harl., Fn. Am., 1825, 70.— Griff., An. Kingd., v, 1827, 127, No. 

 358 (partly).— Less., Man., 1827, 151,No.406.— Godm., Am Nat. 

 Hist., i, 1831, 213, pi.—, f. 1.— Doughty's Cab. N. H., ii, 1832, 193, 

 pi. 17.— Rich., Zool. Beechey's Voy., 1839, 4.— Emmons, Rep. 

 Quad. Mass., 1840, 49.— De Kay, N. Y. Zool., i, 1842, 29, pi. 12, 

 f. 1.— Wyman, Pr. Bost. Soc, 1844, 110 (anat.).— Warren, Pr. 

 Bost. Soc, iii, 1849, 175 (anat.).— Thomps., N. H. Vermont, 1853, 

 83.— Woodh., Sitgr. Rep., 1853, 44.— Kenn., Tr. Illinois Agric. 

 Soc. for 1853-4, 1855, 578.— Beesley, Geol. Cape May, 1857, 137.— 

 Billings, Canad. Nat. and Geol., i, 1857, 360.— Hall, Canad. Nat. 

 and Geol., vi, 1861, 296. 



1829. Mephitis americana var. hudsonica, Rich., F. B. A., i, 1829, 55 No. 

 19. 



