Vol. XV, pp. 1-9 February 18, 1902 



PROCEEDINGS \l.\j) OIujJL^ 



or THB _ '-'*'~ 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 





THE GENERIC NAMES OP THE NORTH 

 AMERICAN SKUNKS. 



BY ARTHUR H. HOWELL. 



Dr. J. A. Allen, in a recent paper on 'The Generic Names of 

 the Mephitince' ,* has presented a careful study of the nomen- 

 clatural questions relating to the genera Mephitis, Spilogale, 

 and Chincha, reaching the conclusion that the changes in the 

 application of these names which I proposed in my recent re- 

 vision of the genus Chincha\ rest on a faulty basis. 



It is of course very much to be regretted that a generic name 

 should ever have to be changed, and the case of the North 

 American skunks, where the name of one genus is transferred 

 to another is especially deplorable. It was on this account that 

 I not only exercised great care in the, investigation of the ques- 

 tion, but also, before suggesting so important a change, invoked 

 the aid of several of our best mammalogists, including Dr. 

 Allen. 



The change, however, then appeared inevitable, and after a 

 very careful reading of Dr. Allen's paper, and a thorough re- 

 hearsal of all the evidence bearing on the question, I am still 

 compelled to hold the same view. 



*Bull. American Museum Nat. Hist., XIV, pp. 325-334, Nov. 12, 1901. 

 fNorth American Fauna, No. 20, Aug. 31, 1901. 



1— BIOL. SOO. WASH. Vol,. XV, 1902. (1) 



