Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-03-18
Friendly Skunks.

NOW dnQ lOtU lnc SlOl1 - tOio VI q III
tie country girl who finds family OF in
teresting black and white "kitiens" in
the woods and carries them home with
much Joy, only TO be met by horrified
parent who loses no time in explaining
the unpleasant peculiaritieS OF SkunkS. As
the child grows up, this lesson may be
enforced by the sight OF a next-door
neighbor burying his Sunday Clothes in
secluded corner OF the garden. The dis
repute OF "Mephitis mephitica" is so
firmly established that il is difficultto find
anyone who has good word to say about
him. An account, however, in Outdoor
World and Recreation, by Mr.. Ernest H.
BayneS, who scraped more than a casual
acquaintance with a whole family OF
skunks, gives somewhat different char
acter 10 what he declares is much ma
ligned animal.
BY offering an occasional feast of meat,
he made friends with pair OF Skunks that
lived in burrow near stone wall. One
morning in early May he walked around
to call, and there just inside the entrance
found a squirming mass OF black and
white young skunks, all tugging away at
their mother, who lay on her side that
they might have better opportunity.
"Her head was away from me, says
Mr.. Baynes, land hidden in the darkness
OF the burrow. but her tail was turned to-
ward me, and as approached she raised
it slowly over her back. This movement
had great significance for NE, since was
we'll within range. For obvious reasons,
was anxious to avoid any misunder-
standing at this moment, so sat down
and waited very quietly. Then talked
TO her, knowing that she would reeog-
nize the sound OF my voice.
"'Hello, old lady = said in a low tone.
Steady, now steady And al the same
time stroked her fur ever so gently with
my fingers. Very slowly the expressive
tail was lowered, and as continued to
stroke her fur more and more briskly, she
stretched herself in comfort, and even
leaned toward me a little as a cat might
have done. worked my hand gently
forward until felt one OF the plump little
babies. Without suggestion OF hurry !
drew him from the hole, rose quietly to
my feet, and once clear OF The mouth OF
the burrow, dashed off home like an In
dian TO photograph and make notes on
my pnze. Within an hour had put him
back into the den again.
al continued 10 visit these queer little
neighbors for weeks, and finally in June
| took three OF the babies from their moth
er and proceeded 10 rear them by hand,
feeding them Il inst With a glass medicine
dropper. The next step was 10 teach
them 10 eat from saucer, and this they
soon learned to do, although in the be-
ginning they were very messy about II,
for they would put their paws into the
dish and Slop the contents about. AS
they grew larger, ! used TO take them
out into the fields with me and watch
them catch crickets and grasshoppers.
Their usual method was TO capture their
prey by putting their paws on il, and then
rolling il on the ground with their feet.
"Ofen they picked up wild cherries
under the trees and gathered blackber-
ries and raspberies by pulling down the
branches with their paws. They were
extremely good natured little fellows.
and never attempted TO bit me, although
they were somewhat obstinate at times,
running off with all their might when ]
wanted TO take them home, or stamping
at me petulantly, like spoiled children,
when went to pick them up.
al kept these skunks for two years, and
they seemed happy in their semi-captiv-
ily; but knew that they would be hap
pier if they had entire freedom, so liber-
ated them in wilderness paradise, where
Tor all know they are still leading happy
and useful-lives."