242 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 
out of range, and in respect to others is inadequate, 
since it often causes only a temporary check (which 
the animal is too slow to take great advantage of), 
or does not stop the onslaught of all; lastly, it 
appears that the animal is loth to make use of the 
“weapon,” and often delays doing so until it is too 
late. It remains a question, therefore, whether 
the possession of this ability is not a disadvan- 
tage rather than a help to the animal; and whether 
in the process of development the influences of 
natural selection have not freed the other Mus- 
telidze from it, as an incumbrance, rather than have 
developed it to a high degree in this species as 
an advantageous accessory. 
As to his conspicuous colors and ostentatious 
manner of cocking up his white plume of a tail, 
these seem to be a “warning” only to civilized 
man, and even to him a signal that leads more 
often than otherwise to the animal’s premature 
discovery and death; while, if the statements 
above written are true, this indiscreet display of 
himself only shows the big cats, the wolves, birds 
of prey, and the farmer’s dog, where their quarry 
is, and enables them to plan an attack before they 
themselves have been observed. 
The skunk is coming to be considered more 
and more valuable as a fur-bearer; and his coat, 
cleansed of any possible odor, dyed a uniform 
black, and made up into garments, clothes many 
a fair maid who is told she wears “ Alaska sable.” 
