191,5 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 93 



prime in a year. To kill them the owner catches them up suddenly by the tail and 

 strikes them a smart blow on the head with a stick. When lifted from the ground 

 by the tail, they are unable to eject their offensive fluid. 



Of the pelts there are four grades : 



No. 1. All black, valued at from $3.00 to $4.00. 



No. 2. Having a short white stripe, valued at $1.75. 



No. 3. Having a long narrow white stripe, valued at $1.00. 



No. 4. Having a long broad white stripe, valued at $0.50. 



These values are per skin (prime). 



The skunks are not costly stock. They are fed upon corn-bread, johnny cake, 

 potatoes, green corn, scraps of meat, etc. 



Strange to say the fetor of the skunk is not repulsive to every one. An English 

 gentleman came to see me when I lived at South Quehec. He was interested in 

 Natural History. In the course of the evening I went to my front door. A skunk 

 had passed over the lawn in front of it, and left a strong taint. I called to my visitor, 

 "Sir, there is something here you should know of." He came, and sniff! sniff'! 

 " What is that ? What is that ? Do you know I rather like that." Well, every one to 

 his taste. 



In a state of nature the female skunk chooses for her abode a deserted Wood- 

 chuck's burrow lining the chamber with leaves and grass. There she brings forth 

 and suckles her young, blanketing them with her ample tail. Notwithstanding her ill 

 savour, she should he ranked among the farmer's friends, for she lives — as does her 

 mate — on grasshoppers, crickets, June beetles, white grubs, cutworms, and other 

 pests. Of course she should be kept from the poultry houses. 



The skunk is not at all a shy animal, it seems to he conscious of its powers. One 

 day I was walking by a wood-side, when I saw a skunk, and it saw me. It came 

 trotting towards me, but I respectfully declined a closer interview, and hurried away 

 as fast as I could with dignity. 



The Woodchuck (Arctomys monax) is an animal familiar on our hillsides. It is 

 a vegetarian, and does mischief in our fields and gardens. I shot one of these 

 creatures that had a burrow on my land in Brome, intending to make a drawing of 

 it, but, when I came to take it up, I found that it was covered with ticks. The num- 

 ber of these was incredible. When their host died, they let go their hold on its flesh, 

 and came to the outside of its fur. 



Once on a time I witnessed a battle royal. Behind the Missisquoi High School 

 at Cowansville (which belonged to the English Church) I had a large garden. At 

 the back of the school stable, a load or two of stones were piled. On a certain oc- 

 casion I went to my garden followed by my little dog, Pepper, a Skye Terrier. A 

 woodchuck ran from among the vegetables and disappeared in a burrow it had made 

 under the pile of stones. Pepper was at his heels and followed him into his den. 

 I was aware of a desperate underground struggle. The woodchuck whinnied like a 

 horse. It was heavier than its opponent, but the dog prevailed. It not only killed 

 the woodchuck, it dragged it out of its den. But so exhausting had been the struggle 

 that the little victor threw himself on its side, stretched out its limbs, and lay as if 

 dead. I began to think it was dead. But in ten minutes it arose and shook itself, 

 and after receiving my commendations, followed me complaisantly home. 



Since the game laws have been more strictly enforced the red deer {Odocoileus 

 (Duericanns) has often been seen on our hillsides. 



My son has a wood-lot and pasture about a mile from his home in the valley. 

 On several visits to these he saw two deer companionably grazing with his young 

 stock. 



