THE PUMA. 17 



of the year, but is perhaps most commonly a yellowish 

 brown, darker on the back, and greyish white on the 

 belly. 



This is the same Puma as that of South America, and 

 in both continents is very widely distributed. In the 

 United States it is styled a " Painter!" It is a most 

 destructive enemy to sheep, killing sometimes scores in a 

 single night, in apparent wantonness, and on this account 

 has always been systematically hunted down by the 

 farmers, so that it is not to be wondered at that it should 

 have so greatly diminished in numbers in Canada of late 

 years that at the present day it is only to be found in 

 the largest tracts of wood, and at rare intervals. 



Any one who has roamed much in the Canadian forest 

 must have often come across the sickening trail of the 

 skunk,* called by the French Canadians Enfant du diable. 

 This horrid little animal, which is of the weasel kind, has 

 a beautiful coat of jet black, broadly marked with two 

 lateral stripes of white ; and on account of its extreme 

 softness, as well as beauty, the fur is much sought 

 after by dealers. But so disgusting and powerful is the 

 odour emitted by this creature, that nothing can with- 

 stand it : no dog can be induced to approach the track it 

 leaves behind, still less to attack the animal itself. I 



MepTiitis tnepTiitica. 

 C 



7 



