162 FAMILIAR LIFE IK FIELD AND FOKEST. 



ber of the Mustelidw family, belonging to the group 

 MephitiiioB, is one of those few wild animals with 

 which no one is anxious to make even a " scraping 

 acquaintance." " Distance," I cautiously remarked 



The Skunk. 



one time to a skunk which appeared directly in my 

 path, " lends enchantment to the view ; you may 

 have the right of way, and the path, too ! " So I 

 gave him a wide berth, beat an ignominious retreat, 

 and breathed again when the atmosphere regained its 

 purity. One always feels secure at ten yards, but 

 within that distance, notwithstanding the fact that 

 competent authorities set the line of safety at sixteen 

 and a ha]/ feet, one is excusably nervous. 



But, putting all prejudice aside, the skunk is not 

 only a much-abused animal, but one whose usefulness 

 can not be overestimated. Let us see what he feeds 



