INTRODUCING MR. AND MRS. SKUNK 39 



go to drop just as the ascending air filled with 

 skunk publicity. 



It is sometimes difficult to predict correctly 

 what a skunk will do next. At times my 

 skunk neighbours by my cabin prowled forth at 

 night and again it was in daytime. Generally 

 they showed no concern with the movements of 

 birds and animals unless one came close. On 

 other days they would watch the moves of 

 everything within eye range. Hurrying down 

 a mountainside I one day struck a large skunk 

 with my heavy shoe and knocked him sense- 

 less. I waited and watched him survive. See- 

 ing me standing by him he rolled over and 

 played possum. 



The young skunks stay with the parents for 

 about one year, I think. In the few instances 

 where I had glimpses inside of winter hibernat- 

 ing dens, the entire family was hibernating to- 

 gether. Apparently the young winter with the 

 parents the first year and scatter the following 

 spring. 



Gladly I headed for a prospector's cabin in 

 which I was to spend a few days and nights. I 

 was scarcely seated by his fireplace when he 

 went outside to "cut some meat" that hung at 

 the rear of the cabin. 



The first thing I knew a big skunk stood in 

 the doorway. He looked my way, then started 



