350 



hundrods of ntlier kinds. Sknnks are iilpiitil'ul all over thf> 

 country; I am sure that they are beneficial lo the farmer; they 

 kill mice, destroy bee, wasp and yellow jacket nests. Very lit- 

 tle harm to poultry. On the other hand their hides are vei-y 

 valuable. 



SAMUEL BOTHELL, Shelocta: 



I think they destroy quantities of bugs, grasshoppers and 

 bumble bees, grubs, etc., that are more of a pest than they. 



]l. W. WKHRLE, Blairsville: 

 Injurious. 



JUNIATA COUNTY. 



W. H. KNOUSE, Swales: 



I am firmly convinced that Skunks are beneficial. I have 

 known them to harbor in buildings and have not heard of a 

 single instance in which they destroyed poultry or eggs of 

 which they are somtimes accused. To the contrary, they de- 

 stroy large numbers of field mice, bugs and worms. My boys 

 catch them sometimes and upon examination we find that the 

 contents of their stomachs verify this statement. 



MR. WELLINGTON SMITH, Mifflintown: 



The Skunk is the boldest and most plentiful of all poultry 

 destroyers; I have really killed as many as six in one season 

 right in my barn. Last summer I shot one in broad daylight 

 in the feed entry. It is surprising how nicely they can eat your 

 eggs for a long time before you linow what becomes of them 

 and eat your chickens too. His depredations will always be 

 saddled somewhere else. 



LANCASTER COUNTY. 



Messrs. H. M. ENGLE & SON, Marietta: 



The Skunk is quite common and the damage done by them is 

 not very great. I know they destroy eggs and poultry; whether 

 they destroy field mice, as it is claimed. I do not know. 



LACKAWANNA COUNTY. 



F. L. BEN.IAMIN, Kizers: 

 Skunks occasionally kill chickens and eat their eggs. 



