THE SKUNK. 



The very mention of this creature's name at once calls 

 up the recollection of no end of queer stories and funny 

 tales told by our Yankee cousins respecting the abomin- 

 able and overpowering stench that may be encountered on 

 too near an approach to this detestable animal. 



No one who has once had a taste of the odour — I use 

 the word "taste" advisedly, as the sense, in some instances, 

 by which smells or odours are perceived also at one and 

 the same time begets a sense of taste, and therefore the 

 perfume is tasted — would feel desirous of renewing the 

 acquaintance ; so dreadful and nauseous is it that it, in 

 some persons, produces sickness and headache of the most 

 painful kind. As, however, every rule has its exception, 

 so has this, as notwithstanding the terrible character 

 attached to the skunk, it is a very clean and well-behaved 

 individual ; in fact, a sweet skunk, if one may be allowed 

 to make use of that mild expression. It is, indeed, re- 

 markable and singularly interesting to find an animal of 

 this description so tame and so good-tempered that it will 

 allow itself to be tenderly handled and lo\'ingly caressed. 

 This is the case with more than one sort of skunk. Several 

 specimens of the common species of North America 

 {Mephites mepliiticd) have been brought to this country 

 perfectly tame and well-conducted ; had it been otherwise 

 they never would have been allowed to cross the Atlantic, 

 as one whiff of the odour most certainly would have called 

 do^vn upon the offender the vengeance of the entii-e ship's 



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