conepatl

noun

1. (no-plural, obsolete)A kind of skunk.

   “Sunt & alia duo huius Vulpeculæ genera, eadem penè forma, & natura. quorum alterum Yzquiepatl vocatum, faſcijs multis candentibus diſtinguitur; alterum verò, Conepatl, ſeu Vulpecula puerilis, vnica tantum vtrinq; ducta, perq; caudam ipſam eodem modo delata.”

   “Travellers affirm, that there are two other kinds of this animal, one of which has the ſame name as the former [sc. Uzquiepatl^([sic])], and is diſtinguiſhed by many white ſtripes; but the other, called CONEPATL, has only one ſtripe on each ſide, which runs to the tail.”

   “13. Conepatl.—11. Viverra Conepatl. 12. / Of a blackiſh colour, having two white lines running along the black, which are continued to the end of the tail. / Vulpecula puerilis, or Conepatl. Hernand. Mex. 232. / Inhabits New Spain.—This animal is probably a variety of the Skunk.”

   “Many animals, such as the skunk, conepatl, the teledu of Java, the wolverine and the great ant-eater are colored in sky-matching patterns, that is the reverse obliterative coloring of white on top of black ventrally.”