KEY TO LAND MAMMALS OF NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA 1 37 



SUDSPECIES OF MEPHITIS MEPHITICA 



Hind foot 83 (SA) M. mepLitica mephitica 



Hind foot 65 (2|) M. mephitica scrutator 



Mephitis mephitica mephitica (Shaw) Northeastern .skunk 



1792 Viverra mephitica Shaw, Museum Leverianum, p. 172. (North 

 America; name afterward restricted to the northern form) 



1895 Mephitis mephitica Bangs, Proc. Boston soo. nat. hist. 31 July 



1895. 26 : 533. 



1896 Mephitis mephitica mephitica Bangs, Proc. hiolog. soc. Wash- 



ington. 28 Dec. 1896. 10 : 140. 

 Total length, 650 (25i) ; tail vertebrae, 165 (6|) ; hind foot 83 (3.'o). 

 (mephitica; Lat., having a bad odor) 



The northeastern skunk inhabits the boreal zone of eastern North 

 America. 



Mephitis mephitica scrutator Bangs Southeastern skunk 



1896 Mephitis mephitica scrutator Bangs, Proc. biolog. soc. Wash- 

 ington. Dec. 1896. 10: 141. (Carterville, Acadia parish, La.) 



Total length 590 (23i) ; tail vertebrae, 210 (8J-) ; hind foot, 65 (2i;. 

 (scrutiCtor; Lat., an examiner) 



The southeastern skunk inhabits the austral zones of the eastern United 

 States. In the transition zone it gradually merges into M. mephitica 

 mephitica. 



Family Procyonidae Racoons 



Whole sole to heel applied to ground in walking ; claws not retractile ; hind toes 

 5; teeth 36 to 40; size medium; tail well develojied. (Procyonidae; 

 genus P r o c y o n) 



The Procyonidae are typically tropical American, though one 

 genus is oriental. Seven or eight genera are now usually placed in this 

 family, though the number is probably too great. Two of these occur 

 in the United States, and one is found within our limits. 



Genus Procyon Storr 



1780 P r c y o n Storr, Prodr. meth. mamm. p. 35. Type Ursus lotor 

 Linnaeus. 

 Form stout; tail short, cylindric ; head round; muzzle pointed; teetli 40. 

 (Procyon; Gk., false dog) 



The genus Procyon ranges from tropical South America north 

 through Mexico about to the northern limit of the United States. It 

 ■contains several species, only one of which occurs in North America. 



