TUK COMMON OR EASTERN SKI NK. 



569 



Genus Mephitis Geoff roy & Cuvier. 



Mephitis E. Geoffroy & (Juvior, Mag. Encyclop., Vol. 2 (6), p. 

 187, 1795. 



Chincha Howell, N. A. Fauna, No. 20, p. 14, 1901. 



Dental Formula.— I, C, {z^; Pm, ^J; M, .^E.^ = 34. 



Generic characters. — Form stout, the body being especially 

 heavy behind; nose pointed; ears rather small; legs long. The 

 color is always black and white and the white is usually in two 

 broad stripes along the middle of the back (Plate 5, fig. 1) ; some- 

 times the stripes are joined into a single broad band; often there 

 is a spot or spots of white on the head; occasionally the animals 

 are entirely black. Anal glands are highly developed and are sur- 

 rounded by muscles which can contract and eject the extremely of- 

 fensive fluid secreted by the glands to a distance of four or five 

 yards from the animal. 



The genus is restricted to North America, where it is represented 

 by some seventeen or eighteen species and subspecies. Two of these 

 are found in our State. They are distinguished principally by the 

 form of the posterior border of the bony palate. 



Palate with a short, bhint spine (Plate 6, Fig. 2) projecting from the 

 middle of its posterior border. M. putida. 



Palate cut off squarely (Plate 6, Fig. 4) or a little motehed in the middle. 



M. mesomelas atda. 



MEPHITIS PUTIDA Boitard. 

 EASTERN SKUNK. 



Mephitis putida Biotard, Jardin des Plantes, Mamm., p. 147, 

 1842. 



Mephitis ynephitica Evermann and Butler, Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci. 

 for 1893, p. 136, 1894. 



Chincha putida Howell, N. Am. Fauna, No. 20, p. 25, 1901. 



Diagnostic cJiaracters. — Distinguished from the next species by 

 the small process at the posterior border of the palate and by its 

 smaller size and longer tail. 



Description. — The color is always black and white or entirely 

 black, the amount of white being extremely variable. In some 

 animals it consists of two rather narrow stripes separated, except 

 on the neck and shoulders, by a median black line. On others, 

 the white covers most of the back and may extend along the sides 

 of the tail. There is sometimes a broad band of white on the head ; 

 in other individuals the white of the head is reduced to two small 



