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purpose. It is only within one year that I have discovered 

 their use to man. Most all animals prey upon one another, the 

 Skunk upon field mice and what is called the "hop grub;" he 

 should be protected as beneficial to man. 



W. C. SLOAN, Sloan: 

 Skunks carry off young chickens. 



YORK COUNTY. 



DR. WM. B. BIGIjER, East Prospect: 



Skunks are injurious. I know they will destroy eggs and 

 sometimes chickens. 



Mr. I. D. HOWELL, York: 



Skunks or Polecats are plentiful, and in my opinion, based 

 on experience and observation of over fifty years, they are the 

 most destructive vermin in the whole catalogue as regards 

 wild game and all forest birds that hatch or build their nests 

 on the ground: Wild Turkey, Pheasant, Partridge or Quail, 

 Woodcock or Snipe, Lark, Whip-poor-will, or Night Hawk, 

 Sparrows, and all of the bird kind which nest on the ground. 

 They are great workers, constantly rooting over the surface of 

 the ground, turning up the leaves and decayed matter, hunting 

 bugs, "clocks," ants, worms, insects of all kinds. These habits 

 bring them in direct contact with the hatching fowl; the mother 

 bird usually escapes but the eggs or young birds are easy prey 

 tor the Skunk. I have known them to take the eggs from under 

 a tame turkey and not disturb the old bird. They are a great 

 damage to all kinds of poultry, they sometimes go in families, 

 as many as eight together. 



OTHER STATpS. 



DAKOTA. 

 I. H. TROCH, AVatertown: 



Skunks, Foxes. Muskrats, Minks, Rabbits and Mice are 

 common and injurious. 



WISCONSIN. 

 ALBERT BOEHN, LaCrosse: 

 Skunks are destructive to poultry and their eggs. 



