361 



abouts. I had no dog at the time and that was perhaps the 

 reason he took quarters so near the house. There was another 

 one a few years after, which was under a pig pen In the orchard 

 that gave me considerable trouble, and destroyed many eggs 

 and chickens, before I succeeded In killing him. There Is one 

 at the iiresent time staying under our barn, which we have 

 not succeeded In rapturing; he has killed many chickens for us 

 the past summer and eaten a great many egga. There have 

 been six Skunks killed on this farm this year. I have been 

 advised to let the one remain at the barn so long as he does not 

 kin the chickens, and have a dead sheep or something of the 

 kind for him to nibble at, but my sentiments don't tend thai 

 way. 



.IAS. S. NEASB. Washington: 



During the year 1S70 Skunks were very abundant In Wash- 

 ington county. I saw one In the town of West .\lexander In the 

 chicken coop eating a young chicken; I think It had killed two 

 or three and destroyed some eggs under a hen. This was early 

 In the evening, about eight o'clock. Father shot It while It was 

 eating the chicken. During that winter Skunks would come into 

 the yards In town and on soft nights, scratch on the bee hives 

 and when the bees came out would eat them; this weakened the 

 hive. When the ground was muddy (the kind of weather 

 Skunks prefer to travel) they would leave the hives muddy 

 where they scratched It at the hole left for bees to enter. At 

 this time the Skunk was hunted but very little for its fur, but 

 In a few years thereafter the fur brought a good price and 

 they have become very much scarcer. The Incentive In obtain- 

 ing Its pelt has so reduced it in numbers that it now ought to 

 be protected for the good of the farmers. They now stay far 

 from dwellings and those which remain are needed to kill 

 mice, yellow Jackets, hornets and bumble bees. The Skunk 

 when not exceedingly numerous is very useful. The price of its 

 fur makes it much sought after and keeps Its numbers greatly 

 reduced. It should be protected for a year or two. 



WAYNE COUNTY. 



G. C. BELL, Maple wood: 



Injurious by eating up our small birds' eggs. 

 G. W. WOOD, Equlnunk: 



Skunks are odious and ordorous; destructive to poultry; wors» 

 «ven than Foxes, 

 •j:!* IT 



