19131 The Ottawa Naturalist. 67 



made a short cu1 for its heme, forgetting the trap in its haste, 

 and promptly fell in. The watcher then deliberately pushed in. 

 another with his foot. .Meanwhile the mother, observing that 

 all was not well, remained at the entrance of her burrow thumping 

 the ground continuously with her feet. It being now dark, how- 

 ever, operations were suspended until next morning, when the 

 mother and another baity were found secured, the parent having 

 evidently been trying over night to release her children and 

 fallen in in the attempt. The old one was not, however, a 

 desirable acquisition, so she was helped out by means of a board 

 and at once made her way to the remaining young, and finding 

 them safe brought them out in broad daylight to eat the freshly 

 placed bread and milk, the night exertions having evidently 

 made her hungry as well as fearless, as she showed no regard for 

 the observer within reach, who taking advantage of his nearness 

 picked up another small one and placed it with its captive 

 companions, thus making four and leaving two for the mother. 



To those not familiar with skunks and having regard only 

 to the story-book tales, these proceedings will be thought some- 

 what risky, but as a matter of fact they were amply justified by 

 the results, the captures and all connected with them being 

 accomplished with no more fuss than if the captives had been 

 kittens and as if the celebrated odor had formed no part of 

 them. 



While the mother continued for a time to reside beneath 

 the building, the young were placed in a box within which they 

 remained until the end of August when, becoming pugnacious, 

 or too rough in their play, they were transferred to a room some 

 twelve feet square, in which the}- were able to romp with im- 

 punity. They soon became extremely tame, and apart from 

 always being at the door at meal -times, would race round and 

 round the visitors feet in their eagerness to get at the food. Nor 

 did they hesitate to rear and set their front feet upon an out- 

 stretched hand to secure the titbit offered. They would also 

 permit being taken up without protest, though this practice 

 was never to their liking. In the morning they were often in a 

 playful mood and would jump and thump the floor in pretended 

 anger, but it w r as at night when they w r ere seen to full advantage. 

 Then, quite regardless of a lantern, they would run about, frisk 

 and climb eagerly up to shove their noses greedily into the bread 

 and milk-pail before we had even time to place it upon the floor. 

 There was a resemblance to a pig in these actions, particularly 

 in the habit of shoving each other with their shoulders to retain 

 the dish for themselves, but otherwise they lapped up milk much 

 as a cat does. With bread they either grabbed it with their teeth, 

 or putting both feet in the pail made quick jerks backwards, 



