The populations of striped skunks in the San Gabriels center around
cultivated land at the Pacific foot of the range. Citrus groves, grape
vineyards, and areas once cleared by man are preferred to coastal
sagebrush flats. The cultivated areas now probably support many more
skunks than were there under original conditions. I have many sight
records of striped skunks which I obtained while driving through the
citrus groves at night. Only once was the striped skunk noted in the
chaparral; all the other records were from the coastal sagebrush belt.
In addition to insects and small mammals, grapes are eaten regularly by
skunks in vineyards, and the fruit of the prickly-pear cactus is often
eaten. Near the mouth of Thompson Canyon feces examined in October 1948,
contained almost exclusively the remains of prickly-pear fruit.
A male taken one-half mile south of Devore weighed five pounds and four
ounces.
_Specimens examined_, 2: San Bernardino County: 1/2 mi. S
Devore, 2200 ft., 1. Los Angeles County: 3 mi. N Claremont, 1500
ft., 1 (PC).
=Spilogale gracilis microrhina= Hall