THE SKUNK 51 



may find her out, and, by the same sleight of 

 hand, remove every egg, leaving only the empty 

 blood-stained shells to witness against him. The 

 birds, especially, the ground-builders, suffer in 

 like manner from his plundering propensities. 



The secretion upon which he relies for defense, 

 and which is the chief source of his unpopularity, 

 while it affords good reasons against cultivating 

 him as a pet, and mars his attractiveness as game, 

 is by no means the greatest indignity that can be 

 offered to a nose. It is a rank, living smell, and 

 has none of the sickening qualities of disease or 

 putrefaction. Indeed, I think a good smeller will 

 enjoy its most refined intensity. It approaches 

 the sublime, and makes the nose tingle. It is 

 tonic and bracing, and, I can readily believe, has 

 rare medicinal qualities. I do not recommend its 

 use as eye-water, though an old farmer assures 

 me it has undoubted virtues when thus applied. 

 Hearing, one night, a disturbance among his 

 hens, he rushed suddenly out to catch the thief, 

 when Sir Mephitis, taken by surprise, and no 

 doubt much annoyed at being interrupted, dis- 

 charged the vials of his wrath full in the farmer's 

 face, and with such admirable effect that, for a 

 few moments, he was completely blinded, and 

 powerless to revenge himself upon the rogue, 

 who embraced the opportunity to make good his 



