120 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Dec. 



It was not long before I became aware that I was not alone 

 in my searches , and soon it was discovered that another, equally 

 keen in collecting and more expert in discovery, was keeping 

 me company. 



To begin with, this companion was onl}^ suspected by 

 strange noises among the bushes, but one night hearing the 

 usual snapping of twigs and characteristic jump, jump, among the 

 leaves, approaching nearer, I waited silently out of sight, and 

 then what should appear within a few feet, but a fully mature 

 female skunk. She was startled, as I flashed the lantern light 

 into her face, and made off, but afterwards, in the course of a 

 few wrecks we became more friendly, and I was privileged to 

 watch her work. It was interesting too, to see how she jumped 

 at the clumsy, buzzing beetles, either knocking them down with 

 her front feet, or securing them before they had time to rise. 

 Of course, I only saw her now and then, and that was generally 

 while I was sitting or standing still, but I gained sufficient in- 

 sight into her ways to see that she made a very fair meal of the 

 beetles, and that withotit very much trouble. From the fact 

 that she came back nightly, for several weeks, I fancy she too 

 recognized the value of the vicinity as a collecting ground. 



Later, when the beetles had vanished for the season, she 

 still returned frequently. Now, however, paying all her atten- 

 tion to the grubs, which in searching for she seemed jiist as suc- 

 cessful as she had previously been with their parents, though 

 I was obliged to dig haphazardly to gain the same ends. 



This was, by no means, my first experience with skunks as 

 destroyers of insects, but I had never before watched one so 

 closely in the field or realized how much good they could do. 

 Since then I have had occasion to come into close contact with 

 their work as destroyers of white grubs on a number of occa- 

 sions, to sa)' nothing of their love for grasshoppers, upon which 

 they turn most of their attention during the summer months. 

 As soon as the grasshopper season slackens, however, they 

 retvirn once more to the white grubs and continue feeding upon 

 them tmtil the insects, feeling that winter is approaching, make 

 their way below the sktmks' reach. 



On a field near Aweme, Manitoba, badly infested with white 

 grubs, two or more skunks were in the habit of visiting each 

 evening to make their customary meal. One of them was prob- 

 ably my old friend, while the others doubtless constituted her 

 family. I only saw odd individuals once or twice, but the 

 evidence of their work was unmistakable. Here over an area 

 approximating eight acres, were found little holes, without 

 doubt the work of skunks. They usually only went to a depth 

 of a few inches, but that was sufficient for the purpose. Making 



