248 WILD NEIGHBORS chap, aiii 



variation, and often are broken into spots and bars, 

 which variegate the black pelt in a very handsome 

 way. One of these little fellows {Spilogale putorius) 

 is distributed throughout most of the Southern 

 States and the whole region west of the Missis- 

 sippi River. They can be domesticated like the 

 others; and it is said that in Florida they are 

 sometimes tamed and kept about the house, like 

 cats, on account of their usefulness in catching 

 mice. Several other species of Spilogale are found 

 in the dry region stretching from Southern Utah 

 to Central Mexico. Finally, we have, in Texas, 

 and thence southward throughout Central and 

 South America, the white-backed skunk, which 

 the aborigines of Mexico called conepate, and 

 naturalists call Conepatus niapurito. This species 

 is rather larger than the common skunk, its head 

 is narrower, and the snout more pig-like, and bald 

 and callous on top, as if used to much rooting ; while 

 the tail, instead of being a long plume, is a short, 

 stubby brush. In color it is black, like the others ; 

 but instead of stripes the whole back is white, from 

 the forehead to and including the tail, giving a very 

 striking blanket-like effect, but this often stops 

 short of the tail, or is divided by a narrow black 

 line along the spine. The next nearest relatives 

 are the sand-badger and teledu of Southern Asia. 



