55 



Mr. Hovey contends that hydrophobia from Skunk bite is different 

 from Rabies canina, and proposes for it the term Rabies mephitica. He 

 suggests there may be a causative connection between inactivity of the 

 anal glands and the generation of a special hydrophobic virus generated 

 in the glands of the mouth. He als'O thinks that the mephitic secretion 

 may be the natural antidote to the salivary virus. Mr. Hovey collected 

 the particulars of forty one cases of Rabies mephitica, all of which proved 

 fatal except one. He also proposes the theory that hydrophobia originates 

 with the allied genera of Mephitis, Putorius and Mustela, and it is trans- 

 ferred from them to the Felidse and Canidse, and other families. The ac- 

 tual importance of the subject, and the novelty of the views entertained^ 

 attracted considerable attention. 



Dr. Janeway replied in an elaborate article, detailing cases, and coming 

 to the conclusion that " Rabies mephitica " is essentially hydrophobia; that 

 the rabid wounds of the Skunk are fatal in so great a majority of cases, 

 because the animal seizes unprotected parts, usually the face or hand, 

 where there is no clothing to wipe off the virulent moisture of the teeth. 



Besides the present species, it is possible that the Little Striped Skunk, 

 M. fuiorius, may occur in Ohio. It is a southern and western species, 

 abundant in Iowa, and possibly occurring in central New York, although 

 the evidence is very unfatisfactoy. "Dr. S. J. Parker, of Ithica, New 

 York, has twice seen, by the road-side in that region, a small many- 

 striped Skunk, very different from the common one." The Long-tailed 

 Skunk, of Mexico, M. macrura; the White-backed Skunk, Oonepatus ma- 

 purito, of the south-western border of the United States into South 

 America, are the remaining species recognized by Dr. Coues, inhabiting 

 North America. 



Genus Lutea. Linn. 



Generic Characters. — The genus Lutra includes musteline animals having 

 a stout but cylindrical and lengthened body ; obtuse muzzle ; small ears ; 

 short, broad feet, with the digits full-webbed ; feet naked or partly hairy 

 on the palms and soles ; claws small but well formed ; tail without special 

 lateral dilatation, long, tapering, nearly cylindrical; pelage without 

 striking color contrasts. Dental formula : i. f :f ; c. V-t ; pm- y-^ J m.^:^ 

 =\~^SQ. The upper pre-molar has a large internal shelf, making the 

 contour of the whole crown triangular; skull depressed and flattened on 

 top, the dorsal outline more or less nearly straight and horizontal; ros- 

 trum extremely short, bringing the fore ends of the nasals opposite the 

 anterior root of the zygoma, the sides of the rostrum erect, the top flat ; 

 cerebral portion of the skull swollen backward, with strongly convex 

 lateral outline ; anteorbital foramen very large, bounded above by a slen- 



