278 
CALIFORNIAN SKUNK. 
a species existing in South America ; his figure, however, bore consider, 
able resemblance to an African species ( Viverra Striata. of Shaw). Subse- 
quently Baron Cuvier bestowed great attention on this genus, and. came 
to the conclusion that all the American Skunks were mere varieties ol 
each other. 
As far as the endless varieties of our Atlantic Species {M. Chmga) arc 
concerned, he was correct ; but he was greatly in error in regarding the 
South American. Mexican, and Californian Skunks as being all of one 
species, for they differ greatly, not only in size, form, and internal organ- 
ization, but also in colour. 
Besides, many species of Mephitis present scarcely any variations in 
colour. The Mephitis Chinga seems to be like Lepus callotis, the Mexican 
hare, and Lynx Rufus, the bay lynx, a species that may be regarded as an 
exception rather than a type of the characteristic of the species. 
Cuvier came to the conclusion, whilst pursuing his investigations, that 
Buffon, in his Zorilla, had described the above named African species ; 
but it now appears that Buffon was correct, that his specimen came from 
America, and that the species is found within our limits, on the western 
coast : therefore we restore his specific name of Zorilla (Le Zorille) as a 
synonyme. 
