Hudsonian Skunk 985 



The late W. G. A. Brodie informed me that once, near 

 Toronto, when his dog had discovered a Skunk {putida), the 

 latter availed itself of the first opportunity to rush into the Don 

 River, some fifty yards away. The dog followed and, after a 

 prolonged and partly subaqueous struggle, the Skunk floated 

 up dead and the dog returned to the shore perfumed in the 

 usual way. 



Similarly Preble relates" of the Keewatin Skunk (mephit- 

 ica): "While paddling up the channel between Windy and 

 Pine Lakes, on September 12, we saw a Skunk swimming 

 across the stream, a hundred yards in front of our canoe. 

 On seeing us he redoubled his exertions, but we overtook 

 * * * him just as he reached the shore." 



It is quite settled now that by far the largest part of the food 

 Skunk's food is grasshoppers, crickets, insects, and Meadow- 

 mice. Ground-squirrels are the next on the bill of fare, with 

 eggs when it can find them. Frogs and crayfish enter largely 

 into the list and snakes provide it an occasional meal. Kenni- 

 cott records'- that he knew of a Skunk running Gray-rabbits 

 into their holes and there devouring them. At rare intervals 

 it discovers the hennery and, accustomed to the respect of all the 

 world, enters into possession without a doubt that all this was 

 meant for itself. Eggs and chickens, also hens that happen to 

 be roosting too low, are very much to its taste. Commonly, 

 however, the farmer has the opportunity of executing sum- 

 mary vengeance in the morning, for the Skunk, with its usual 

 eff^rontery, is frequently found curled up asleep in the nest that 

 it rifled for the midnight feast. 



The Skunk, then, is insectivorous and carnivorous, indeed 

 nothing of animal nature comes amiss, be it flesh or fish, bug or 

 carrion. But its powers are limited; it is as ill-adapted for 

 running down Hares as for catching salmon in a whirlpool, or 

 chasing Squirrels in the tree tops, so that practically it is an 

 insect-eater. And however good (or bad) its intention may be, 



" N. A. Fauna, No. 22, 1902, p. 65. 



" Quad, 111., Pat. Off. Rep., 1859, p. 249. 



