THE POLECAT 



IT was a bleak day in midwinter when the 

 Naturalist started out for his usual walk. 

 The sky was overcast and a light snow covered 

 the ground just the kind of day when one 

 enjoys a book and a snug seat by the fire. As 

 he entered the bit of woods near his home a 

 flock of tree sparrows and juncos flew out of 

 the underbrush and alighted in the trees. A 

 chickadee eyed him suspiciously, as if in doubt 

 as to his identity. The residents of the wood 

 had come to feel safe with him and seldom 

 manifested any particular anxiety because of 

 his presence. 



After looking about for a time for some- 

 thing of special interest, he chanced upon the 

 tracks of a little spotted skunk (spilogale in- 

 terrupta], commonly known by the name 

 "polecat." Since the snow was fresh, the 

 tracks offered an opportunity to see some- 

 thing of what had taken place in the wood the 

 night before. He, accordingly, followed, at a 

 leisurely gait, the path taken by the little an- 

 imal a few hours previously. The Naturalist 



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