Fes., 1912. Mammats oF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN— Cory. 337 
It is not improbable that fairly typical examples of Mephitis mephitis 
may be found in northeastern Wisconsin and M. m. putida in eastern 
Illinois. In the regions mentioned intergradation is likely to occur 
and doubtful specimens should be sent to specialists for identification. 
The characters by which the two forms may be recognized are as 
follows: 
GROUP 1. Back with two white stripes joining at the shoulder. 
White stripes extending down sides of tail; tail tapering and the end white; 
zygomata relatively heavier than hudsonica but not so widely expanded; tail 
vertebre averaging less than 9.50 inches; palate ending in even curve without 
median spine; total length generally 23 to 27 inches; tail vertebrae 7.50 to 
9 inches. Canapa SkunK. Mephitis mephitis. 
White stripes of body usually not extending on tail; tail black, ending in a white 
pencil; palate with distinct median spine; tail averaging longer than in mephitis; 
total length 22 to 24.50 inches; tail vertebre 8.50 to 9.75 inches. 
EASTERN SKUNK. Mephitis mephitis putida. 
Genus MEPHITIS Cuvier. 
Mephitis Cuvier, Lecons d’Anat. Comp., I, 1800, tab. I (facing page 322). 
Body thick set; legs rather short; fur thick, color black and white, 
the white occasionally tinged with tawny or yellow; extent of white 
marking variable, usually two dorsal white stripes; tail bushy, claws 
curved; ears short; superior anal glands, containing defensive odorous 
secretions, highly developed. Skull somewhat arched, highest in the 
frontal region; upper molar larger than the carnassial, subquadrate, 
and broader than long; lower carnassial longer than high: bulle flat- 
tened; auditory meatus tubular but not noticeably extending beyond 
the skull; posterior end of palate nearly on a line with back of last 
molar. 
Dental formula: I. — c=) Pa Ty 
I-I 35-3 2-2 
Two forms of the large Skunks belonging to the genus Mephitis 
are known to occur in Illinois, and it is not unlikely that the range of 
two others, mephitis and putida, may be found to cross our border. 
No typical specimens of putida have, so far as known, been taken in 
Illinois, although it is given by Hahn as the common form occurring 
throughout Indiana, where, according to Howell its range meets that 
of. the Illinois Skunk, M. m. avia. Mephitis mephitis is common in 
Ontario along the northern borders of the Great Lakes and it is by no 
means improbable that its range may be found to extend into the 
Michigan peninsula. A series of specimens from Green Bay, north- 
eastern Wisconsin, are perplexing in that they are not typical of any 
