49. 
1829. Mephitis chinche, Fisch., Syn., 1829, 160 (includes other species; 
quotes Tiedemann primarily.) 
1842. Chincha americana, Less , Nouv. Tabl. R. A., 1842, 67. 
1857. Mephitis mephitica, Bd., M. N. A., 1857, 195. lean and Suckl., N. 
JEL, Wo 40a, 1UeKa0), Oe anna. ates Am. Philos. Soce., xii, 1862, 
ug) eae Ninth Ann. Rep. Mass. Agric. for 1861, 1862, 
161.—Gerr., Cat. Bones Br. Mus., 1862, 97.—Allen, Bull. M. C. 
Z., 1, 1869, 178; ii, 1871, 169 (critical).— Allen, Pr. Bost. Soc., x111, 
1869, 188.—Gilpin, Proc. and Tr. N. Scotia Inst., 11, 1870, 60.— 
Stev., U.S. Geol. Surv. Terr. for 1870, 1871, 461.—Parker, Am. 
Nat., v, 1871, 246 (anat. of anal glands, etc.).—Allen, Bull. 
Wss. Inst., vi, 1874, 46, 54, 59, 63.—Allen, Proc. Bost. Soc., xvii, 
1874, p. 38.—Ames, Bull. Minn. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1874, 69.—Coues, 
Bull. U. S. Geol. and Geogr. Surv. Terr., 2d ser., No. 1, 1875, 8 
(skull and teeth).—Coues and Yarrow, Zool. Expl. W. 100dth 
_ Merid., v, 1875, 62.— Allen, Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv., vol. ii, No.. 
4, 1876, 822 (skull).—Coues, Mon. of Mus., 1877, 190. 
1744. Hnfan du Diable, Charlev., N. France, v, 1744, 196. 
1772. Skunk, Forst., Phil. Trans.,1xii, 1772, 374.—Penn., Arct. Zoal.,.1, 
1784, 85, No. 38.—Hearne, Journ., —, 377. 
Stinkthier, German. Béte puante, French. 
Description of External Features.—The Common Skunk is a heavily-built 
animal, with short limbs, low ears, small head, and long and bushy tail. 
The thick-set trunk is large behind, and the broad back naturally curved. 
The head is conoidal; the eye small and nearer the nose than the ear; 
the naked nasal-pad is large and protuberant; the nostrils are lateral. 
The bushy tail has no fine under fur; the long, coarse, almost tow-like 
hairs, when extended sideways, make the width of tail, in some speci- 
mens, greater than the length. The feet expose large plantar and pal- 
mar surfaces, usually naked, except that the soles are generally hairy 
about a third of the way from the heel. The claws of the hind-feet are 
stout and obtuse; they are covered with hairs; the middle three are 
about equal in length; the fifth is shorter, and the first does not reach 
the base of second. The plantar-pads are imperfectly separated into 
three, to which the terminal toe-balls at once succeed; the toes are very 
short, and extensively united. 
_ The toes of the front feet are quite different. The third and fourth 
are sub-equal and longest; the second a little shorter; the fifth reaches 
scarcely half-way to the fourth, and the first not quite to the base of the 
second. The three middle claws are even longer than the digits that 
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