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- 

 telidse 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." 



