VIII I'HE SKUNK, CALMLY CONSIDERED 22^ 



meadow that abounded in grasshoppers. Here 

 Meph would fairly revel in his favorite food, and 

 it was rich sport to watch his manoeuvres. When 

 a grasshopper jumped he jumped, and I have seen 

 him with as many as three in his mouth, and two 

 under his fore paws, at one time ! He would eat 

 so many that his over-distended little belly actually 

 dragged upon the ground, and when so full that 

 he could hold no more, would still catch and slay 

 them. When so small that he could scarcely tod- 

 dle about he never hesitated to tackle the large 

 and powerful beetle known as the 'horned bug,' 

 and got many smart nips for his audacity. But 

 he was a courageous little fellow, and it was not 

 long before he learned to handle them with im- 

 punity, and it was very amusing to see him kill 

 one. Ere many weeks he ventured to attack a 

 mouse, and the ferocity displayed in its destruc- 

 tion was truly astonishing. He devoured the en- 

 tire body of his victim, and growled and stamped 

 his feet if any one came near before his repast was 

 over." 



This matter of growling and stamping is worth 

 a moment's attention. Few animals are so silent 

 as the skunk. Zoological works contain no in- 

 formation as to its voice, and the essayists rarely 

 mention it except by implication. Mr. Burroughs 

 says : " The most silent creature known to me, he 

 makes no sound, so far as I have observed, save 

 a diffuse, impatient noise, like that produced by 

 Q 



