THE SKUNK 49 



ates that of a woodchuck, or hunts out a crevice 

 in the rocks, from which he extends his rambling 

 in all directions, preferring damp, thawy weather. 

 He has very little discretion or cunning, and 

 holds a trap in utter contempt, stepping into it 

 as soon as beside it, relying implicitly for defense 

 against all forms of danger upon the unsavory 

 punishment he is capable of inflicting. He is 

 quite indifferent to both man and beast, and will 

 not hurry himself to get out of the way of either. 

 Walking through the summer fields at twilight, 

 I have come near stepping upon him, and was 

 much the more disturbed of the two. 



He has a secret to keep and knows it, and is 

 careful not to betray himself until he can do so 

 with the most telling effect. I have known him 

 to preserve his serenity even when caught in a 

 steel trap, and look the very picture of injured 

 innocence, manoeuvring carefully and deliber- 

 ately to extricate his foot from the grasp of the 

 naughty jaws. Do not by any means take pity 

 on him, and lend a helping hand ! 



How pretty his face and head ! How fine and 

 delicate his teeth, like a weasel's or a cat's ! When 

 about a third grown, he looks so well that one 

 covets him for a pet. My neighbor once cap- 

 tured a young one, which he kept over a year, 

 and which afforded him much amusement. He 

 named it Mahomet. 



