23 
torius vison ; the Badger, Taxidea americana ; the Common Skunk, Mephitis 
mephitica ; and the Otter, Lutra canadensis—may properly be considered 
as belonging to the mammalian fauna of Ohio. It is quite possible the 
Little Striped Skunk, Mephitis putorius, of the southern and south-western 
States, should be added to this list of Ohio Mustelide. The same may 
be said of the Least Weasel, P. vulgaris, of the northern United States, 
and North, although the lack of citations from the middle States is nega- 
tive eviderce of the distribution at present accepted. 
SUB-FAMILIES AND GENERA OF OHIO MUSTELIDA. 
. Skull with the cerebral portion comparatively compressed backwards; and with the 
rostral portion comparatively produced, attenuated, and transversely convex above; 
anteorbital foramen small and opening forwards; feet with little or ne inter- 
digital membrane (and the species, with few exceptions, not aquatic). 
t Auditory bulla much-inflated, undivided, bulging, and convex forwards; periotic re- 
gion extending little outwards or backwards; palate moderately emarginated. 
{ Last molar of the upper jaw (m. 1) short, small, transverse (with the inner edge in- 
flated at its inner angle); sectorial teeth with a single inner cusp; m. 4; first true 
molar (sectorial) of upper jaw, followed by a second (tubercular) one; toes short, 
regularly arched, with last phalanges bent up, withdrawing the claws into sheaths. 
(Sub-family Musteline.) 
a. Teeth 38; pm. SaPae body slender; feet and progression digitigrade; sole 
densely furry with naked pads; lower first molar with an internal tubercle ; 
pelage long ands soft. 6 . 6 6 MUSTELA. 
aa. Teeth 34; pm. = = ; body slender ; fae divitiptade: sectorial tooth without 
ine tubercle; pelage close and short. . : : : PUTORIUS. 
tt Last molar of upper jaw (m. 1) enlarged and more or less extended longitudinally ; 
 m. 4; toes straight with the last phalanges and claws extended ; claws non-retractile 
(Sub-family Melinw). Body short and stout; tail very short; teeth 32. TaxIpEa. 
tt Auditory bulla little inflated, transversely constricted behind the meatus auditorius 
externus, and thence inwards; in front flattened forwards; periotic region expanded 
outwards and backwards; palate deeply emarginated (Sub-family Mephitinw). 
Snout pointed ; nostrils lateral; tail long and bushy; foetid perineal glands highly 
developed ; colors black and white, massed in large areas; teeth 32; pm. 33. 
MEPHITIS. 
** Skull with the cerebral portion swollen outwards and backwards; and with the ros- 
tral portion abbreviated, high and truncated forwards, and widened and depressed 
above ; anteorbital foramen enlarged and produced downwards and backwards ; feet 
with well developed interdigital membrane, and adapted for swimming. (The spe- 
cies highly aquatic, one—the Sea Otter—marine.) 
Teeth, normal, 36 (m. 4: pm. x3 C. r 8 a 22) ; sectorial tooth (pm. 2) normal, ef- 
‘ficient, with an expanded inner ledge; the other molars sub-musteline ; posterior feet 
with normally long digits. (Sub-family Lutrine.) True molars large, quadrate ; 
body stout, elongate, cylindrical; feet full-webbed; muzzle obtuse ; ears small. 
LUTRA. 
