Mammal Study 



247 



THE SKUNK 



Teacher's Story 



who have had experience with this animal, surely 

 are glad that it is small; and the wonder always is, 

 that so little a creature can make such a large impres- 

 sion upon the atmosphere. A fully grown skunk is 

 about two feet long; its body is covered with long, 

 shining, rather coarse hair, and the tail which is carried 

 like a flag in the air, is very large and bushy. In color, 

 the fur is sometimes entirely black, but most often has a white patch on 

 the back of the neck, with two stripes extending down the back and 

 along the sides to the tail; the face, also, has a white stripe. 



The skunk has a long head and a rather pointed snout; its front legs 

 are very much shorter than its hind legs, which gives it a very peculiar 

 gait. Its forefeet are armed with long, strong claws, with which it digs 

 its burrow, which is usually made in light soil. It also often makes its 

 home in some crevice in rocks, or even takes possession of an abandoned 

 woodchuck's hole; or trusting to its immunity from danger, makes its 

 home under the barn. In the fall, it becomes very fat, and during the 

 early part of winter, hibernates within its den; it comes out during the 

 thaws of winter and early spring. 



The young skunks appear in May ; they are born in an enlarged portion 

 of the burrow, where a nice bed of grass and leaves is made for them; the 

 skunk is scrupulously neat about its own nest. The young skunks are 

 very active, and interesting to watch, when playing together like kittens. 

 The skunk belongs to the same family as the mink and weasel, which 

 also give off a disagreeable odor when angry. The fetid material which 

 is the skunk's defence, is contained in two capsules under the root of the 

 tail. These little capsules are not larger than peas, and the quantity of 

 liquid forced from them in a discharge is scarcely more than a large drop; 

 yet it will permeate the atmosphere with its odor for a distance of a mile. 

 The fact that this discharge is so disagreeable to all other animals, has had 

 a retarding influence upon 

 the skunk's intelligence. It 

 has not been obliged to rely 

 upon its cunning to escape its 

 enemies, and has therefore 

 never developed either fear 

 or cleverness. It marches 

 abroad without haste, confi- 

 dent that every creature 

 which sees it will give it plenty 

 of room. It is a night 

 prowler, although it is not 

 averse to a daytime prome- 

 nade. The white upon its fur 

 gives warning at night, that 

 here is an animal which had 

 best be left alone. This im- 

 munity from attack makes 

 the skunk careless in learning 



Photo by Verne Morton 

 The skunk. 



