CALIFORNIAN SKUNK. 
277 
cat, and composed of two kinds of hair, the under hairs being soft and 
woolly, the others longer, interspersed among them. On the tail the hair 
is very coarse, and, toward the extremity, rigid. 
UU1AJUK. 
There is a white patch on the forehead, and also between the eye and 
ear, extending beneath the ear to the middle of the body ; another white 
stripe rises behind the ear, and runs parallel with the foregoing. These 
stripes are. not quite uniform on each side; the body is spotted with 
white, forming three nearly uniform bars across the back. There are two 
white spots near the insertion of the tail, on the sides and rump. The 
white markings are set off by the colour of the remaining portions of the 
body, being blackish brown, very dark on the head and ears, a little 
lighter near the flanks. 
lail brownish black, tip (for about three inches) white. 
DIMENSIONS. 
From point of nose to root of tail, - 
Tail (vertebrae), 
“ (to end of hair), - 
Shoulder to point of longest nail of fore-foot, - 
Height of ear (posteriorly), - 
Inches. 
114 
6 
10 
5 
_ 4 _ 
1 0 
HABITS. 
Hie habits of the present animal are only partially known ; it is said to 
retreat to holes in the earth, or live under roots of trees, in the crevices 
of rocks, &c. It feeds upon insects, birds, and the smaller quadrupeds. 
This Skunk, as we are moreover informed, is able to make itself so 
offensive that few persons are disposed to approach or capture it, rather 
keeping aloof, as from the Common Skunk of our Atlantic states, so well 
known for its “ perfume.” 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
This species was found to bo rather abundant, by J. W. Audubon and 
J. G. Bell, in California ; it was also found in Texas by the former. 
Deppe had discovered it previously in California, in 1820, or thereabouts. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
The Zorilla was described by Buffon (Hist. Nat., tom. xiii., p. 302) as 
