COMMON AMERICAN SKUNK. 32il 



boasting race is by this little animal compelled suddenly to break off 

 his train of thought, hold his nose, and run, as if a lion were at his 

 heels ! 



Among the first specimens of natural history we attempted to procure' 

 was the Skunk, and the sage advice to " look before you leap," was im- 

 pressed on our mind, through several of our senses, by this species. 



It happened in our early school-boy days, that once, when the sun had 

 just set, as we were slowly wending our way home from the house of a 

 neighbour, we observed in the path before us a pretty little animal, play- 

 ful as a kitten, moving quietly along : soon it stopped, as if waiting for 

 us to come near, throwing up its long bushy tail, turning round and look- 

 ing at us like some old acquaintance : we pause and gaze ; what is it ? 

 It is not a young puppy or a cat ; it is more gentle than either ; it seems 

 desirous to keep company with us, and like a pet poodle, appears most 

 happy when only a few paces in advance, preceding us, as if to show 

 the path : what a pretty creature to carry home in our arms ! it seems 

 too gentle to bite ; let us catch it. We run towards it ; it makes no ef- 

 fort to escape, but waits for us ; it raises its tail as if to invite us to take 

 hold of its brush. We seize it instanter, and grasp it with the energy of 

 a miser clutching a box of diamonds ; a short struggle ensues, when — 

 faugh ! we are suffocated ; our eyes, nose, and face, are suddenly bespat- 

 tered with the most horrible fetid fluid. Imagine to yourself, reader, our 

 surprise, our disgust, the sickening feelings that almost overcome us. 

 We drop our prize and take to our heels, too stubborn to cry, but too 

 much alarmed and discomfitted just now, to take another look at the 

 cause of our misfortune, and effectually undeceived as to the real cha- 

 racter of this seemingly mild and playful little fellow. 



We have never felt that aversion to the musky odour imparted by 

 many species of the ferine tribe of animals, that others evince ; but we 

 are obliged to admit that a close proximity to a recently killed Skunk, 

 has ever proved too powerful for our olfactories. We recollect an in- 

 stance when sickness of the stomach and vomiting were occasioned, in 

 several persons residing in Saratoga county, N. Y., in consequence of 

 one of this species having been killed under the floor of their residence 

 during the night. We have seen efforts made to rid clothes which have 

 been sprinkled by a Skunk, of the offensive odour : resort was had to 

 burying them in the earth, vi^ashing, and using perfumes ; but after be- 

 ing buried a month they came forth almost as offensive as when they 

 had first been placed in the ground, and as for the application of odorifer- 

 ous preparations, it seemed as if all the spices of Araby could neither 

 weaken or change the character of this overpowering and nauseating 



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