176 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



January and February he keeps in his hole, especially 

 if the weather is severe ; but upon the first appear- 

 ance of a genuine thaw in March, just about maple- 

 sugar time, he is abroad again. Dr. Merriam states 

 that he has seen skunks scampering over the snow in 

 midwinter when the mercury stood at 20°. He also 

 says that they have large families — from six to ten 

 young — all the members of which remain in the same 

 hole until spring, but that not more than two adult 

 skunks have ever been found in a hole at any one 

 time. 



It is not generally known, perhaps, that the fur of 

 the skunk is quite long, thick, glossy black, and there- 

 fore valuable. The wholesale price of the finest skins, 

 which come from 'Sew York, Pennsylvania, and Oliio, 

 is from eighty-five to ninety cents each ; the poorest, 

 or fourth-grade skins, are worth only ten cents. The 

 fur eventually " made up " goes by any other name 

 than skunk — generally Alaska sable and black marten. 



Of course thousands of the httle animals are killed 

 each j-ear for the sake of their skins, and it is a fact, 

 as Di-. Merriam explains, that no one knows how to 

 kill them. His method is so simple and sure that I 

 think it should be given a place here. " The skunk's 

 back," he says, " must be broken by a smart blow from a 

 heavy stick," and he adds : " If the animal is in a trap, 

 approach cautiously and slowly ; if you go too fast he 



