_C.
mesoleucus mearnsi_ Merriam on the one hand, and _Conepatus leuconotus
leuconotus_ Lichtenstein and _C. l. texensis_ Merriam on the other
hand will be found to intergrade, in which event the name _Conepatus
leuconotus_, having page priority over _Conepatus mesoleucus_, will
apply to the species. Proof of complete intergradation is not yet
available. The one difference between the two that prevents our
uniting them as subspecies of one species is the larger size of _C. l.
leuconotus_ and _C. l. texensis_. Measurements of the smallest adult
male and female available to us of _C. l. texensis_ and of the largest
adult male and female of _C. m. mearnsi_ are given below.

Where the geographic ranges of the two species approach one another
the only taxonomically significant difference detected by us is in
size, _C. leuconotus_ being larger than _C. mesoleucus_. Other
characters that are useful in separating the two alleged species now
are known to vary geographically in a fashion that indicates only
subspecific status for the two kinds. For example, three specimens
from Laredo, Texas (previously recorded by V. Bailey, N. Amer. Fauna,
25:205, October 24, 1905--Nos. 24839/32237, 24840/32238 and
24842/32245 USBS), bridge the gap in color pattern between _C. l.
texensis_ to the east and _C. m. mearnsi_ to the west. _C. l.
texensis_ characteristically has the white stripe terminating
anteriorly in an obtuse angle, and on the hinder back the area of
white is restricted to a narrow line or is wanting. _C. m. mearnsi_
characteristically has the white stripe truncate anteriorly and
approximately as broad on the hinder back as on the shoulders. In the
specimens from Laredo, the young female, No. 24842, has the white
nearly truncate anteriorly (pointed in the other two specimens, adult
females). In No. 24839 the area of white on the hinder back is only
slightly restricted in width (noticeably restricted but present in the
other two specimens).

The proof of intergradation, or the lack of it, between the two
alleged species, _Conepatus mearnsi_ and _Conepatus leuconotus_, would
seem to be profitably sought by obtaining specimens along the Rio
Grande in Texas between the Blocker Ranch ("50 miles southeast of
Eagle Pass") and Laredo.

Measurements illustrating the size difference between the two alleged
species are as follows:

TABLE 1. Measurements of _Conepatus_ from Texas

Column Heading Legend:

Col. A: [Male] ad. 186