32 The Carnivora. 
worry him in spite of the warning discharge, but others are 
certainly strongly affected by it. Thus, my own retriever made 
a strong “point” one day in short grass, as I was strolling 
round on foot to look at the young lambs in a flock camped near 
the house. Having no gun, I called the dog off, and as he moved 
a skunk showed himself, and curving his back slightly, much in 
the manner of a cat, when in the retromingent attitude, shot a 
stream of fluid in the direction of the dog, very little of which 
touched him. It was with considerable surprise that I noticed 
how great a distance the creature was capable of squirting this 
—at least ten feet. Pulling out my revolver, I was about to 
draw a bead on the beast, when it made for me, and the next 
moment saw me in full flight before the possessor of such an 
abominably offensive weapon. Rallying, after a short run, a 
couple of shots from my revolver brought the enemy to bag— 
well, scarcely that, for I viewed the corpse at a respectful 
distance to windward, and admired the pretty skin, while fully 
appreciating the force of the adage, “ Noli me tangere.” 
So powerfully had the scent affected the dog’s olfactory nerves, 
and by sympathy, his salivary glands, that his mouth was 
covered with froth, although he had been but slightly touched 
by the discharge. To make sure, I gave him a thorough wash- 
ing with soft soap, and afterwards a long swim in the river; but, 
even then, there was something more than a suspicion of the 
odour about him for some days. Violent and dangerous inflam- 
mation of the eyes, both in man and the dog, has been known to 
result from contact with the secretion of this animal. Some 
observers have asserted that, when about to discharge the fluid, 
the skunk faces the enemy, raises its tail, and lets the wind 
carry the discharge over its back. Were that the case, the pro- 
tection must obviously be useless in calm weather, and in some 
other circumstances. I do not believe it physically possible, and 
I have always seen the skunk turn his tail to the enemy, and 
squirt out the secretion in a thin stream to an astonishing dis- 
tance. Notwithstanding the evil smell of these animals, they 
are trapped in large numbers for the sake of their furs, the 
