MAMMALS-MELINAE-MEPHITIS VARIANS. 
193 
ever, much larger (almost equal in 6ize to a fox) ; the tail is longer, and instead of being 
entirely white, is of this color only on the top and the terminal half; the stripe, too, begins as an 
acute angle on the vertex, instead of being decidedly truncate. Length, 17 inches; tail about 12. 
This species was first described by Lichtenstein from a specimen caught near Chico, in Mexico, 
and subsequently (?) a new name was given by Bennett to one from Lower California. 
Not much information is on record as to the geographical distribution of this species. I have 
seen hut one specimen—that collected by Captain Pope on the Staked Plains. It is said by 
Audubon and Bachman to be quite common in Texas. There is no indication of its occurrence 
in Upper California. 
List of specimens. 
Catalogue 
number. 
Corresponding 
No. of skull. 
Locality. 
Whence obtained. 
Nature of specimen. 
790 
1886 
Western Texas ...___,_ 
Captain J. Pope, U. S. A_! 
Skin.... 
P P> j 
MEPHITIS VARIANS, Gray. 
Texas Skunk. 
Mephitis varians, J. E. Gray, Charles worth’s Mag. N. H. I, Oct. 1837, 581. 
Mephitis macroura, Aud. & Bach. N. A. Quad. Ill, 1853, 11; pi. cii. (Not of Lichtenstein.) 
Sp. Ch _Tail full, bushy, but attenuated and pointed towards the end, where the hairs are v#fy long. Vertebra alone as 
long as the body. Color black ; a narrow white frontal line. A white nuchal patch, broad and truncated anteriorly, and 
extending between the ears ; then passing backwards, narrowing a little to between the shoulders, when it bifurcates narrowly, 
the branches passing along the sides to the hind legs ; another narrow white stripe on either side commences within the termina¬ 
tion of these and runs out on the posterior half of the tail. The tail black, the hairs white on the basal half; there is a patch 
on the middle of the tail, however, where the hairs are white to the end. 
Length to root of tail, 15 inches. Vertebra, 15. Terminal hairs, 3|. 
For a more detailed account of this skunk I would refer to the Report of the Zoology of the 
United States and Mexican Boundary Survey; no specimens were collected by any of the Pacific 
Railroad surveying parties. 
This species was first described by Gray, as quoted above, and erroneously referred by Audu¬ 
bon and Bachman to the M. macroura of Lichtenstein, which is a very different species. It is 
found throughout Texas, and is said to be very abundant. Its northern and southern range are 
not ascertained, and it is not known as an inhabitant of California. 
List of specimens. 
Catalog’e 
number. 
Correspond’g 
No. of skull. 
Age& 
sex. 
Locality. 
When 
collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Original 
number. 
Nature of 
specimen. 
709 
Q 
Monterey, Mex_„ _ _ _ 
Lt. D. N. Couch. 
218 
Skin__ 
237 1 
o 
Matamoras Mex_ 
Kitten_ 
238 1 
o 
_do... 
127 2 
1113 
Mier. Texas__ __ _ 
April, 1852 
Major W. H. Emory.. 
Skin. 
233 2 
1192 
Eagle Pass, Texas 
Sept. 1,1833 
_do_ 
1 Collected by Dr. Berlandier. 2 Collected by Arthur Schott. 
• 25 L 
