The Skunk 41 



as it would a garter-snake. This angered the snake, 

 and, turning like lightning, he wrapped himself about 

 the skunk, completely encircling both neck and body. 

 The head was so far free that the skunk could give 

 the snake nip after nip, though it could not get a 

 strong enough hold to disable it. Rolling over and 

 over, hissing and snapping, the snake nearly con- 

 cealed by the long hair of the skunk, the two creatures 

 presented a strange spectacle as they struggled, the 

 one to conquer, the other to escape. After watching 

 them for fully five minutes, I ventured to approach, 

 and dealt the two a hard blow with a club, and then 

 ran back a few paces, not knowing what might be 

 the result. Turning about I ventured to return 

 part of the way to see whether the struggle continued. 

 All was comparatively quiet; and coming still nearer 

 I found that the snake had relinquished its hold and 

 was slowly retiring in a disabled condition. The 

 skunk was lying quite motionless, and proved to be 

 dying, though not dead. Soon after I examined the 

 animal carefully and found that it had been strangled 

 or nearly so. " 



The skunk is particularly valuable in the hop- 

 growing regions, where he hunts the large grubs so 

 destructive to the hop-roots. On a spring morning 

 as you pass through the hop-yard you may notice 



