SKUNK AND ITS ODOUR. 7 



Intensely offensive though he be, nevertheless 

 he is a handsome beast. The predominant 

 colour is jet-black. A narrow snow-white line 

 marks the centre of the forehead. Just behind 

 the ears, from the nape, is a triangular patch of 

 white, somewhat tinged with yellow. Confluent 

 with this patch, two narrow lines of white run 

 parallel to each other, for a few inches ; then 

 diverge rapidly, and extend along the back to 

 near the tail, which is long and bushy, like that 

 of the fox ; but black, with a white tuft at the ex- 

 treme tip. The length of the mature animal, 

 from the nose to the root of the tail, is twenty- 

 one inches. 



The oil-glands are situated at the base of the 

 tail. The animal possesses the power of ejecting 

 the secretion with great force, and will hit an 

 enemy at the distance of ten yards. The Indians 

 and Voyageurs, after dissecting out the glands, 

 devour the body with great gusto. The dissec- 

 tion and skinning are always done under water, 

 in a running stream ; by adopting this plan, the 

 effluvia is washed away. I have tasted roasted 

 skunk, but cannot say much in its praise. Its 

 flavour is decidedly skunky, although the flesh is 

 delicately white and tender. 



The habits of the animal are strictly noc- 



