Feb., 191 2. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 335 



Specimens examined from Wisconsin : 

 Wisconsin — Eagle Lake, i; (M. P. M.) Prairie du Lac, i; Walworth 

 Co., i; Arena, Iowa Co., i; (O. C.) Drummond, Bayfield Co. 

 (skull), i; Gordon, Douglas Co. (skull), i; Langlade Co. (skull), 

 1 = 7- 



Subfamily MELINiE. Skunks and Badgers. 



Members of this subfamily are found in both the Old and New World. 

 They are burrowing animals and largely nocturnal in habits. The 

 Skunks are notorious for their ability to eject a noxious smelling fluid 

 for a considerable distance when angry or excited. The two glands 

 containing this liquid are situated on each side of the rectum and are 

 connected by a duct with a nipple-like papilla which can be voluntarily 

 protruded from the anus. In young animals the removal of these 

 glands is a comparatively simple operation.* When taken sufficiently 

 young they make gentle and interesting pets. 



The earliest mention of Skunks in North America seems to be the 

 one given by Gabriel Sagard Theodat in 1636, in which he refers to 

 these animals as Children of the Devil (''enfans du diable")-t ''Child 

 of the Devil" appears to have been a recognized name for a Skunk 

 among the French in Canada in early days, as it is so referred to by 

 Charlevoix t and others. The etymology of the name Skunk, by 

 which it was known later, is obscure, but Dr. Cones suggests that it 

 may have had its origin in the Cree Indian name ''See cawk . . ., 

 as the sound is not so very different though the literal discrepancy is 

 great.' § 



The Badgers, which also belong to this subfamily, comprise several 

 genera and a number of species. The American Badger (Taxidea) 

 with its four subspecies is confined to North America and is generically 

 distinct from Old World forms. A species which occurs in Java {Mydaus 



* I have successfully psrformed this operation on several occasions with 

 species of both Mephitis and Spilogale. 



t "Les enfans du diable, que les Hurons appellent Scangaresse, & le commun 

 des Montagnais Babougi Manitou, ou Ouinesque, est un beste fort puante, de la 

 grandeur d'un chat ou d'un ieune renard, mais elle a la teste un peu moins aigue, & 

 la peau couuerte d'un gros poil rude & enfume, et sa grosse queue retrouss^e de 

 mesme, elle se cache en Hyuer sous la neige, & ne sort point qu'au commencement 

 de la Lunedu mois de Mars, laquelle les Montagnais nomment Ouiniscon pismi, 

 qui signifie la Lune de la Ouinesque. Get animal, outre qu'il est de fort mauuaise 

 odeur, est tres-malicieux & d'un laid regard, ils iettent aussi (a ce qu'on dit) parmy 

 leurs excremens de petits serpens, longs & deliez, les quels ne viuent neant moins 

 gueres long temps." (Hist. Canada, 1636, p. 748.) 



X Nouv. France, V., 1744, p. 196. 



§ Fur-bearing Animals, 1877, p. 221. 



