138 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



There are about fourteen different species of this fur 

 animal found in the United States, confined to the southern 

 sections of this country, upper Mexico, and the Pacific Coast 

 States. 



The Louisiana spotted skunk is called by the scientists 

 Spilogale indianola, and is confined to the coastal parishes, 

 where it finds suitable highland for its habitat. 



The little spotted skunks are very interesting animals, 

 resembling the common skunks in their serene manner of 

 ambling about the countryside after dark, paying very little 

 concern to those they meet on their nocturnal perambula- 

 tions. These animals are far more agile than their larger 

 relatives, and, unlike the better known species, often climb 

 bushes and sometimes small trees. 



They select for dens hollow logs, stumps, and patches 

 of dense brush and, where the nature of the soil permits, 

 they will dig shallow burrows. In Louisiana dens of spotted 

 skunks have been located in shallow depressions scratched 

 from under the roots of trees. 



Very little is known regarding the reproduction habits 

 of this animal. Both sexes are alike in pelage and there 

 seems to be no variation in size. Four, five and six young 

 are produced in the spring and the youngsters remain with 

 the mother until nearly grown. 



The food of the "civet" consists of insects such as grass- 

 hoppers and beetles, harvest and field mice and other small 

 native rodents, lizards, crayfish and water insects and even 

 birds' eggs and birds themselves are found on their menu. 



The little spotted skunk has the same manner of defense 

 possessed by the common skunk — the ejection of a vile, foul- 

 smelling liquid. 



This little furred animal is, as has been already ex- 

 plained, the "civet" or "civet cat" of the fur trade. This 

 is not a correct nor an appropriate name, but it seems 

 bound to stick. The true civet is a member of the cat fam- 

 ily and does not resemble our little skunk in the slightest. 



The principal parishes of Louisiana in the production 

 of the little spotted skunk are Calcasieu, Jefferson, Jefferson 

 Davis, Terrebonne, Lefourche, Livingston, Iberville, As- 

 cension and Cameron. 



