16 
LARGE-TAILED SKUNK. 
there was a Skunk in the mess-basket, I never would have touched it in 
this world V 1 1 knew that well enough, George, and that was the reason 
I did not tell you of it.’ 
“ It is only necessary further to say that the animal, having been neither 
alarmed nor provoked in any way, did not on this occasion emit the 
slightest odour ; nor was any trace left in my tent or mess-basket, to 
remind me afterwards of the early morning visitor at my camp on Cotton- 
wood creek.”— Philadelphia, June 24th, 1851. 
We have heard of some cases in which this Skunk, having penetrated 
into the tents of both officers and men, on our southwestern frontier, has 
been less skilfully managed, and the consequences were so bad as to compel 
the abandonment of even the tents, although soused into creeks and 
scrubbed with hopes of destroying the “ hogo.” 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
This species exists on the western ranges of the mountains in Mexico. 
The specimen described by Lichtenstein was obtained by Mr. Deppe in 
the mountains to the northwest of the city of Mexico. The animal was 
seen by Col. G. A. McCall in New Mexico, between Los Vegas and Santa 
Pd. The specimen figured by John W. Audubon was obtained near San 
Antonio, and he describes it as common in the western parts of Texas. It 
is not found in Louisiana, nor near the sea-shore in Texas. It will, we 
think, be found to inhabit some portions of California, although we cannot 
state this with certainty. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
There are several species of this genus, which are found to vary so much 
in the distribution of their colours that many mere varieties were described 
as new species, without any other characters than those presented by the 
number of stripes on the back, or the predominance either of black or 
white spots on the different portions of the body. Buffon described five 
species. Baron Cuvier, in his “ Ossemens Fossiles,” took much pains in 
endeavoring to clear up the difficulties on the subject of these animals ■' 
yet, owing to his not possessing specimens, and his too great dependence 
on colour, he multiplied the number of some species which a re now found 
to be mere varieties, and omitted others which are unquestionably true 
species. 
