The Skunk AI 
as it would a garter-snake. This angered the snake, 
and, turning like lightning, he wrapped himself about 
the skunk, completely encircling both neck and body. 
The head was so far free that the skunk could give 
the snake nip after nip, though it could not get a 
strong enough hold to disable it. Rolling over and 
over, hissing and snapping, the snake nearly con- 
cealed by the long hair of the skunk, the two creatures 
presented a strange spectacle as they struggled, the 
one to conquer, the other to escape. After watching 
them for fully five minutes, I ventured to approach, 
and dealt the two a hard blow with a club, and then 
ran back a few paces, not knowing what might be 
the result. Turning about I ventured to return 
part of the way to see whether the struggle continued. 
All was comparatively quiet; and coming still nearer 
I found that the snake had relinquished its hold and 
was slowly retiring in a disabled condition. The 
skunk was lying quite motionless, and proved to be 
dying, though not dead. Soon after I examined the 
animal carefully and found that it had been strangled 
or nearly so.” 
The skunk is particularly valuable in the hop- 
growing regions, where he hunts the large grubs so 
destructive to the hop-roots. On a spring morning 
as you pass through the hop-yard you may notice 
