306 MQ. o. V. APLiN OX THE [Mar. 20, 



only once seen a Skunk use its teeth. In this case one fastened 

 on to Jim's flanks, and the old dog walked about with it hanging 

 on for half a minute, looking round at it in much astonishment 

 at this unusual and uuseemly behaviour — the fact being that he 

 could not get hold of his enemy, M'hich turned with him. The 

 Skunk's teeth are small in proportion to its size of body : a certain 

 class of theorists would probably say that they had become 

 smaller from disuse, the animal having another means of defence. 



The Skunk seems to be an omnivorous feeder. Its long strong 

 claws are well adapted for digging, and places where they have 

 been scratching are to be seen all about the camp. They probably 

 feed on small mammals, reptiles, and insects as well as roots, and 

 are always credited with robbing hen-roosts. 



With regard to the distance at which you can smell a Skunk, 

 I cannot give an opinion ; but you often smell them when you 

 cannot see them, and just about sun-down the smell is a usual 

 and familiar one about the camp ; at night, too, a strong whiff of it 

 as you sit or stroll in the patio is a very common occurrence. At 

 a hundred yards to leeward with the slightest breeze the smell of 

 a discharge would be very pungent. The smell is said to be a 

 good " remedio " for the headache ! 



The local name for the Skunk is " Zorillo." 



The Skunk being numerous, despite human persecution, it might 

 be supposed to be prolific ; and from the very meagre evidence I 

 obtained it seems to be so — this evidence is that on the 3 1st 

 October a female was killed close to the house with 13 young. 



Geison (Galictis vitiata). 



This savage and diabolical-looking weasel, known as the " Huron," 

 coal-black except on the top of the head, back, and tail (on which 

 parts the hair is grey and longer than the rest of the body), was 

 not uncommon. The line of demarcation between the black of 

 the face and the grey crown is cleanly cut, and gives the animal a 

 curious and most spiteful appearance. Nor do its looks belie it. 

 It is about the size of a medium-sized polecat, and resembles this 

 animal in disposition and habits to some extent. But one of its 

 characteristic habits is that of hunting in company. I have seen 

 three hunting down a nearly dry Canada, and, just before, a friend 

 had seen five together. When staying with a neighbour in Feb- 

 ruary one of his sons trapped a Huron in a box trap baited with an 

 Aperea. We had some considerable difficulty in transferring him 

 to a small cage, and so far from being timid, he would always come 

 at your fingers with an angry barking squeal, if you put them near 

 the bars of the cage. Moreover, when irritated he emitted one of 

 the strongest and most pungent animal smells I ever experienced. 

 In some respects it was more disgusting than Skunk. The cage 

 was fifty yards or more from the house, out of sight behind the 

 kitchen buildings, and, when it was to windward, it was quite 

 possible when sitting outside the house-door to tell when anyone 

 went to look at the Huron. Tor this reason it would be difficult 



