lOS NATURAL AND CIVIL 



pounds : The flesh is said to be agreeable, and 

 Tvholesome meat. 



Another animal, which we frequently find 

 lii the fields^ is the Woodchuck. This animal 

 is about sixteen inches in length ; its body is 

 large, and round ; its legs are sliort ; and its 

 fore feet are broad, and fitted for the purpose of 

 burrowing into the eai'th. The colour of the 

 woodchuck is brown, his fat is extreme, the 

 flesh is wholesome and palatable food, his fur is 

 not very valuable. This animal resides in a 

 hole which he digs in the ground^ and feeds up- 

 on grass, corn, beans, and other vegetableSi 

 The fem.ale generally produces folir or five at a 

 birth. One of the fattest which I have seen, 

 weighed eleven pounds ; I believe this was one 

 of the largest size. 



Th e Skun k is one of the most extraordina- 

 ry animals, of which we have any account. It 

 seems to be of the same species Vvith the pole- 

 cat, but is of a less size, and differs from it in 

 several respects. Its hair is long, and shiriing, 

 of a clouded or dirty -white, intermixed ^vith 

 spots of black. Its tail is long, and bushy, like 

 that of the fox. It lives chieRv in the woods, 

 and hedges, but often burrows under barns and 

 out houses. When undisturbed, this animal is 

 without any ill scent, or disagreeable effluvia. 

 Their natural evacuations are not more nauseous, 

 than those of other animals. Whole nests of 

 them will lie under the noor of a barn, and so 

 long as they are undisturbed, no disagreeable 

 odour will be perceiA^ed during the whole winter. 

 Their flesh, when it is properly dressed, is sweet 

 and nourishing. When pursued or attacked, 



