984 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



less it also was a male — but was so injured that it never came 

 out of the hole into which it had crawled at the approach of the 

 men. 



SLIGHT- On several occasions I have known this animal to show a 



LY • • J- • 1 • 



AQUATIC surpnsmg readiness in taking to water. 



On May 23, 1882, while travelling near Turtle Mountain, 

 Man., I surprised a Skunk in the open; he turned to face me, 

 but stones were plentiful and my range was longer than his, so 

 he ran off. I followed and, each time he faced about, I drove 

 him on with handfuls of pebbles till he was routed and fled 

 with unusual haste. Too much so, indeed, for he ran onto a 

 longspit of land that projected into a small lake. At the margin 

 he hesitated, but a new shower of pebbles urged him forward, 

 and he took to the water, swimming for a low island inthemiddle, 

 fifty yards away. When he got there it turned out to be noth- 

 ing but floating weeds. This was a sad disappointment; he 

 turned to swim back to the shore, but stones showered in the 

 water stopped him. He was forced to cross the lake, here one 

 hundred yards wide, and very cold. When he reached the 

 bank I was there to meet him. But he was much numbed and 

 lay almost lifeless. Now I took pity on him and pulled him 

 out; he made no attempt to defend himself, but tamely sub- 

 mitted. I carried him to a warm sunny nook, and there left him 

 to recover in peace. This he no doubt did, for I now suspect 

 that he was not so far gone as he seemed, but, finding that his 

 customary defence had failed, was skilfully playing 'possum. 

 The Skunk is not usually said to be aquatic, but on 

 October 2, 1883, I saw 5 Skunks dabbling in the mud along a 

 pond near Minnedosa, Man., and Miller Christy, in his paper 

 on the "Mammals of Manitoba," says:'" "One evening last 

 June I assisted in the extermination of a family party — of 

 Skunks — consisting of an old one and six young ones, which 

 were taking a bath at the edge of the lake. The Skunks seem 

 to be fond of the water, as on another occasion I remember 

 shooting one from a boat as he was near by bathing." 



"> Nat. Hist. Journal, May 15, 1885, York, Eng. 



