CARNIVORA. MUSTELIDJE. 49 



the banks of clay or snow on the river's side, where they resort 

 for the amusement of sliding. Having found one, they place the 

 trap just under the water, that when the animal plunges in, his 

 fore feet will spring it by striking the pan. This habit of sliding 

 is evidently an indication that it is of a playful disposition, for 

 there can be no other reason for it than amusement. It is sus- 

 ceptible of domestication, and of becoming obedient to a master, 

 and being trained to follow him. It has a whine much resembling 

 the Dog's. The American Otter is distinguished from the Eu- 

 ropean by its greater size, comparatively shorter tail, and a greater 

 uniformity of brown on its inferior parts. 



Genus Mephitis. Cuv. 



Generic characters. Dental system ; incisors f ; canines -}~t ; 

 molars |=4 ; — 34. Body elongated ; arched ; toes free and 

 armed with strong nails, and formed for digging ; tail long and 

 bushy. 



1. Mephitis Americana. Desm. The Skunk. 



Memphitis Americana, Harlan, Fauna Am., p. 70. 

 The Skunk, Godman, Nat. Hist., i. p. 21& 

 Figure ; Ibid., p. 213. 



Specific characters. Color black, marked with white, longitudi- 

 nal bands, which vary somewhat in form and extent. 



Description. The head of the Skunk is small ; eyes small, and 

 placed more laterally than in the true Weasels or Mink ; ears 

 short and round ; forehead wide. Individuals present a variety 

 of markings ; sometimes the white stripes extend from the tip of 

 the nose to the rump ; sides of the head and under surface black 

 or blackish-brown ; more generally there is an insulated white 

 stripe along the forehead, and a large patch of white covering the 

 whole of the upper part of the neck, from which two white lines 

 bifurcate and extend on the back ; tail tipped with long, white, 

 coarse hair, and many such hairs appear on the shaft of the tail, 

 intermixed with the black ; nails before very robust ; it is pro- 

 vided with odoriferous glands at the root of the tail. 



Observations. The general aspect of the Skunk is that of a 



wicked sort of cunning ; he walks along quite deliberately in the 



7 



