ZOOLOGY — MAMMALS. 
77 
Skunks are very common in the country west of the Cascade mountains, frequenting the 
borders of woods and settlements. I have often seen them both alive and dead, and all appeared 
to be of the common eastern species. The commonest markings were black, with a narrow 
white stripe running back from each shoulder. To show the persistence of the smell, I will 
mention that wishing to obtain a skull, I took a stick and tried to separate it from what was 
then only a mass of fur and boqes, the animal having been dead about a year, but such an 
overpowering odor arose that I was glad to retreat without the specimen. I afterwards got one 
in California, where, being exposed to the sun, the scent had almost entirely left the dried 
carcass. 
MEPHITIS BICOLOR. 
Little Striped 8kunk. ' 
Mephitis bicolor, 3. E. Gray, Charlesworth's Mag. N. H. I, 1837, 581. 
Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857, 197. 
Mephitis zorilla, Lichtenstein, Ueber Mephitis, Abh. Aliad. Wiss. Berlin, for 1836, (1838,) 281 ; tab. ii, f. 2. 
AuD. & Bach N. Am. Quad. III., 1854, 276, (not figured.) 
Sp. Ch. — Smallest of North American species. Tail vertebras, less than half the body ; with the hairs not much more than 
half. Black, with broad white patch on forehead, and crescent before each ear; four parallel dorsal stripes interrupted and 
broken behind ; a shorter siripe on side of belly, running tnto a posterior transverse crescent, which are all white. Tail black 
throughout, to base of hairs, except a pure white pencil at the end. 
This little skunk is abundant in Santa Clara valley, south of San Francisco. They are 
commonly known by the name of pole cat, to distinguish them from the larger species of skunk. 
The peculiar smell seems somewhat less strong than in that species, but in habits they much 
resemble it, being very destructive to poultry and eggs, which their smaller size enables them 
to get at easily by entering the buildings at night. As an offset to this mischief they probably 
do much good by destroying the still more destructive " ground squirrels " of California, as I 
attempted to prove to the farmers. They are exactly suited in size for pursuing the squirrels 
into their holes, though I never heard that they had been seen doing so. Being nocturnal and 
able to see in the dark, they can take them also at a disadvantage — while they are asleep. 
The one I obtained I poisoned with strychnine placed on meat in a hen house, which they 
were in the habit of frequenting nightly. They also often came to a butcher's shop to steal 
meat and feed on the offal thrown away from it. The eyeballs are excessively prominent, and 
shine after death with a fiery glare. The pupil is circular, and was much dilated, probably 
by the strychnine — length 5^ inches ; tail 4 ; iris black ; nose flesh color. 
TAXIDEA AMERICANA, Waterh. 
Badger. 
Baird, Gen. Rep. Mammals, 1857,202. 
The American badger is very abundant in the plain country east of the Cascade mountains^ 
its burrows perforating the ground thickly in many places to the great danger of both horses and 
riders. Yet our party never met with but two badgers by daylight, one of which I obtained. This, 
by the recommendation of some of the hunters, was cooked, but though some could eat it, the 
strong "doggy" flavor disgusted me, not to mention its extraordinary toughness and leanness. 
It is unknown west of the Cascade mountains, though in California a species is said to be found. 
