RETURN TO VANCOUVER ISLAND. 9 
I have often wondered for what purpose this 
offensive secretion was given to the skunk. 
Any book on Natural History will tell you that 
it is a protection against all enemies. This I do 
not believe. Why given to the skunk and not to 
the pine-martin, ermine, or fisher, that live in the 
same localities, feed in the same robber-fashion, 
and have exactly the same foes ? It is for other 
than defensive purposes. 
The skunks are principally confined to America, 
extending through both halves of the continent, 
though a few are found in Mexico and Texas. 
They appear to form a connecting link betwixt 
the badgers and weazels proper. 
Now let us return to Vancouver Island, and 
take up the story where I left it, to go mule 
hunting. | 
From amongst the singular group of annelides, 
found along the coast of Vancouver Island, 
many of which are new species, and will be found 
described in the Appendix, I select the most 
curious :— 
Lepidonotus Lordi (Nov. Spe., Baird.).—This 
species is about three inches long, and rather more 
than one-third ofan inch in diameter at the broadest 
part of the body. It tapers gradually from the 
head to the tail, which is only two-sixteenths of 
