44 GAMBLES ABOUT HOME. 



frogs, or to risking itself within the precincts of the poul- 

 try-yard. Indeed, small snakes are evidently a great 

 dainty, and the skunk appears to be more active when 

 he finds a garter-snake, blind-worm, or flat-head adder, 

 than at any other time. Having discovered a snake, he 

 rises upon his hind-feet, and, giving a bear-like apology 

 for a dance, he endeavors to seize the snake by the tail. 

 If successful, he shakes the snake vigorously, as a dog 

 would do, and seizing it, when dead or nearly so, near 

 the middle of the body, he carries it off to his burrow, or 

 to a hollow log, or to whatever shelter he has at the 

 time. 



In June, 1863, I witnessed a terrific combat between 

 a large skunk and a black snake, which, I judge, measured 

 fully five feet in length. The prowling skunk had evi- 

 dently seized the snake by the tail, and endeavored to 

 give it a violent shake, as it would a little 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. Turn- 

 ing 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 dis- 

 abled condition. The skunk was lying quite motionless, 



