CAPTURE OF ANIMALS. 69 



its own fur to be soiled with its offensive secretions ; so that 

 if you can get away its skin without being overwhelmed your- 

 self by its perfumery, your spoil is likely to be as clean and 

 saleable as in the case of any other animal. 



[We are indebted to an old Connecticut trapper, Mr. H. 

 Mansfield, for the following valuable addition to Mr. New- 

 house's article on the Skunk. EDITORS.] 



" In summer, Skunks can be taken in great numbers by the follow- 

 ing method : Find a place where they travel from their holes to a 

 hen-coop or through a corn-field. Make a path for them by tread- 

 ing down the grass, and set up sticks along on each side to guide them 

 more surely. Set traps at intervals, and strew pieces of meat or 

 dead mice before and behind each trap. A whole family of Skunks 

 will walk down this path, the old ones heading the procession ; and 

 as one after another is caught, those behind will climb over and 

 pass on, till all are taken. I have caught in this way two old ones 

 and eight young ones in one path on a single evening. They seldom 

 discharge when first caught ; and can be prevented from doing so at 

 all, either by a blow on the back, or by boldly seizing the parts 

 where the offensive secretion lies with one hand, and piercing the 

 throat with a knife in the other. 



" In winter my method is to track them to their holes and dig 

 them out. They are obliged to go to some stream for water every 

 day, and when there is snow, they can easily be tracked back to 

 their burrows. In digging them out, I prevent them from using 

 their terrible weapon by carefully uncovering only one at a time, 

 and only the head of each at first, filling in and even 'tamping* 

 the dirt around the body, till I can despatch them in succession by 

 opening the jugular vein. 



" The surest way to take Skunks without bad consequences is by 

 the snare and spring-pole. 



" With all the precaution that can be taken, the trapper's clothes 

 will sometimes be sprinkled ; and there will be more or less scent 

 about the skins. The best way to cleanse articles in this condition 

 is to hold them over a fire of red-cedar boughs, and afterwards 

 sprinkle them with chloride of lime." 



