252 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



classes of animals, probably are gifted with the mal- 

 odoiirs that distinguish them for sexual reasons. I am 

 very strongly of that opinion, but I do not see how I can 

 more than hint at the evidence on which I base it in a 

 book that will fall into the hands of all sorts and ages of 

 persons. Moreover, in animal physiology there is almost 

 always more than one reason for a particular circumstance. 

 This makes the subject too intricate to be discussed in one 

 or two paragraphs. 



The habits of the skunk are rather sluggish. He is 

 not timid, and is in no hurry to get out of your way unless 

 you are accompanied by a dog. The assertion that dogs 

 will not attack a North American skunk is not correct. 

 Dogs can be trained to attack anything, a remarkable cir- 

 cumstance, since wild dogs, like other preying animals, only 

 attack those creatures on which they feed. Carnivorous 

 animals sometimes quarrel, and the stronger will slay the 

 weaker ; but the conqueror never devours the vanquished, 

 whether of his own species or some other. If there are 

 any exceptions to this rule, the meal has been made under 

 pressure of extreme hunger or m captivity, when the 

 tastes of the confined animals are often abnormal. Even 

 men and herbivorous animals have been known to devour 

 each other under stress of starvation. 



The skunk moves about slowly; but if put to it, he 

 can cover the ground at a tolerably quick pace. I have 

 never seen them climb trees. The trappers say that 

 they will do so when driven to bay; and also to rob 

 birds' nests. I strongly doubt the latter part of the 

 assertion. They rob the nests of birds of the grouse 

 and partridge family; and, no doubt, those of smaller 

 birds when built near the ground. The general food 

 of the skunk consists of any sort of animal food it can 

 find — rats, mice, chipmunks, young birds, young hares, 

 every sort of small animal that it can surprise ; and 

 snakes, lizards, frogs, and even beetles, &c. It is to 

 be understood that the expression, "every sort of small 



