A LAND OF DROUGHT AND DESERT 



469 



A water-storing plant (Ibervillca ) 



It has so much liquid stored that it can go on sending out vines, flowering, and fruiting years 

 in succession without a drop of rain (see Nat. Geog. Mag., August, 1910, p. 694) 



indiscriminate slaughter by native hunt- 

 ers for the purpose of supplying meat to 

 mining camps. Unless this kind of hunt- 

 ing can be rigorously suppressed and 

 other hunting controlled, these splendid 

 game animals are doomed to certain and 

 early extermination. 



THE HYDROPHOBIA SKUNK 



In addition to the mammals already 

 mentioned, wild cats, badgers, spotted 

 skunks, raccoons, coyotes, and another 

 kind of fox make their homes on the 

 desert. 



The spotted skunk, or hydrophobia 

 skunk, as it is commonly called, is most 

 abundant in the extreme southern end 

 of the peninsula, where it is looked upon 

 with fear and abhorrence, owing to its 

 habit of biting people in the face while 

 they are sleeping on the ground and the 

 reputed commonly resulting death of the 

 victim by rabies. The fear of these ani- 

 mals extends throughout the peninsula, 

 and we were warned of the danger from 

 them when we were preparing for the 

 trip. 



When we were at the village of Cape 



