232 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 
“The Naturalist in British Columbia” is every- 
where interesting, has harsher words to say of the 
skunk in that part of the world than the animal 
seems to justify elsewhere; but this may be dis- 
counted by the recollection that more legitimate 
food is rather scarce along the western part of the 
international boundary, where Dr. Lord travelled. 
“A more predatory, thievish, treacherous, blood- 
thirsty poacher you could not ‘skeer up,’”’ exclaims 
this writer, and then adds novel information, as 
follows: “ His residence (which is always by the 
side of some still pool on the open prairie) consists 
of a large hole, dug in horizontally. ... Beaten 
roads extend from this hole to the water’s edge; 
and the entrance to this den is usually strewed 
with ducks’ feathers, the tips of the wings, the 
heads, beaks, and feet, together with bones deftly 
picked. Ducks are his favorite food... . When 
everything is still and hushed, and the unsuspect- 
ing birds are floating in fancied security, with their 
heads tucked under their wings, then out steals 
the crafty skunk, and creeping noiselessly down 
his roadways, swims, without the slightest splash, 
towards the drowsy birds, dives under the one 
that suits his taste, seizes it by the breast, and 
spite of all its flapping, quacking, and struggling, 
drags the victim ashore, kills, and eats it.” 
With such a record as this against him — even 
in isolated cases—it is not surprising that the 
skunk should now and then play havoc in the hen- 
