MAMMALIA. 55 
[19.] 1, Mepurris Americana, var. Hudsonica. 
The Hudson's Bay Skunk. 
Genus. Mephitis. Cuvirr. 
Skunk Weesel. PENNaNT’s Arctic Zool., i. p. 85. HEARNE, Journey, p. 377. 
Mephitis Americana. SasinE. Franklin’s Journ. p. 653. Zootocicat Mus. No. 68, 69. 
Seecawk. CrEE INDIANS. 
This animal is prettily ornamented by a full bushy tail, and broad lateral white 
stripes, which contrast pleasingly with the white colours of the rest of the body. 
Its fur, although long, is coarse, and is but little valued in commerce. The Skunk 
is not an uncommon animal in the district it inhabits, which does not, I believe, 
extend to the north of latitude 56° or 57°. It exists in the rocky and woody parts 
of the country, but is still more frequent in the clumps of wood which skirt the 
sandy plains of the Saskatchewan. I have not been able to ascertain the southern 
range of this variety of Skunk; and, judging from Kalm’s description, there 
appears to be a different one in Canada. The Skunk passes its winter in a hole, 
seldom stirring abroad, and then only for a short distance. It preys on mice, and 
in summer has been observed to feed much on frogs. Ithas aslow gait, and can be 
overtaken without difficulty, for it makes but a poor attempt to escape, putting its 
trust apparently in its power of discomfiting its pursuers by the discharge of a 
noisome fluid. This fluid, which is of a deep yellow colour, and is contained in a 
small bag placed at the root of the tail, emits one of the most powerful stenches in 
nature; and so durable, that the spot where a Skunk has been killed will retain the 
taint for many days. Mr. Graham says, that he knew several Indians who lost 
their eye-sight in consequence of inflammation, produced by this fluid having been 
thrown into them by the animal, which has the power of ejecting it to the distance of 
upwards of four feet. I have known a dead Skunk, thrown over the stockades of a 
trading post, produce instant nausea in several women in a house with closed doors 
upwards of a hundred yards distant. 'The odour has some resemblance to that of 
garlic, although much more disagreeable. One may, however, soon become 
familiarised with it : for, notwithstanding the disgust it produces at first, I have 
managed to skin a couple of recent specimens by recurring to the task at intervals. 
When care is taken not to soil the carcase with any of the strong-smelling fluid, 
