The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-09-17
NOTES ON A SKUNK.

which I have had under observation
since their birth. Then We were far
away from all houses and dogs, and
free from all chance Of interruption
put my charges on the ground, and lay
down, with a field glass. to see what
they would do. At first they seemed
too much delighted at the freedom OF
the open fields to do anything but
walk about, smiling at the grass ana
the herbs they found growing there.
But presently they became interested
in the insects which they found on the
ground, especially the erickets, OF
which they captured number. When
one OF the skunks caught sight of
cricket, he would make a little rush at
it and stamp on it with his fore paws,
squeezing the insect to death by roll
ing it over the ground. Then ne would
put down his sharp nose and eat his
Victim with evident relish.
After time, one of them managed
to catch a frog, which he deliberately
rolled about with his paws until it was
dead. He picked it up in his mouth,
but did not attempt to eat II, and while
he was still amusing himself with it,
the other skunk came waddling up.
Then began squabble for the body of
the frog, which was sometimes in one
month and sometimes in both. And all
the while the skunks squealed as
though they were being killed and
stamped their feet at one another with
an earnestness which seemed simply
absurd. Eventually l saw them both
walking gravely away, with the body
of the frog stretched out between them.
When they finally disposed of it, they
were out of my sight, but don't think
they ate it, for 1 have. seen them re-
fuse to eat frogs at other times. When
/ caught sight of them again, few
minutes later, they were interested in
| a BURBERRY bush, which was laden
with ripe fruit. They ate many of the
berries which they could reach as they
stood, and some of those which grew a
little higher they got at by pulling
down the twigs with their forepaws.
During the afternoon saw them feed
on blackberries in the same way.
Later on, one Of the skunks amused
himself by starting to dig burrow un-
der large rock. He went at it with
his fore feet, and his great long claws
proved excellent implements for the
purpose. While he was busy with this
work, his companion wandered away,
and, as he did not come back, I
thought 1t best to go and look him up.
found him by the shore Of a large
pond, digging little holes in the mud.
| 1t seemed that he did not like to be dis
( turbed for when came up, he faced
about and stamped at me Indignantly.
made no sudden movements towards
him, so he never attempted to use his
wellknown method of defence. Still,
| he saw me approaching, and, not wish
ling to be captured, he walked straight
| into the water, and. began to swim
across the pond. For a time. the air,
imprisoned in his long fur. helped to
buoy him up, and his head, back and
much of his bushy tail were all above
the surface. But by and by the fur be-
gan to get wet, and before he was half
across the pond nothing but his head
was above the water. He swan very
well. though not fast, and ran around
Ito the opposite shore and picked him
up as he left the water, dripping wet.
On getting back to the spot where
| the other skunk had started his dig
ging operations, I found that he had
not been idle ~ our absence. He had
made a good beginning and from the
mouth OF. the hole he had made under
i the stone, there was nothing to be seen
inow but his tail. Placing the wet
skunk in the basket they had been
brought in. lay down to watch the
efforts of the other one. Presently
there came across the field an italian
workman, who, from his general APP
pearance, had not been in this country
livery long, and whose English vocab-
ulary, as / presently discovered, con-
sisted Of few sentences about as COM
Iplex as 1.-TWO fer flfe." He looked hard
lat the skunk and then at me, and then
at the skunk. Then he delivered him
self.
"Wat dat?" =.
i Skunk" ~< ...4
"Wat skunk? GUIDE teet?p 3
| "Fine," with a. nod, (This on the
statement Of one our most eminent
naturalists, not from personal knowl-
ledge.)
| You goin' eat imp .<..- 81
mo-
| A look of surprise came over his face,
land he stepped quite close to the hole
where the skunk was working. Pre-
lsently the little animal backed out OF
the burrow to rest or to survey its
work, and the italian saw two things.
First, that its skin was Of probable
value, and second, that it was small
Icreature easily overpowered. Then he
Ispoke again. this time with a covetous
look on his face. H.. -:
"You get I'm skin, eh?" ~,
| "No." ...".3 ..
| "Me get'im.'
AS he said this, he took the last step
towards the skunk, which had now re-
turned to his work. .-.4 .
mo, no." said, rising to my feet to
prevent a catastrophe which felt was
imminent, but the italian mistook my
intention. He apparently thought that
wanted to prevent him getting a prize
which I had no use for myself, and
lguickly reached down, and dragged the
skunk out by the tail. Now I have