ECONOMIC VALUE OF NORTH AMERICAN SKUNKS. 



13 



dices of long standing, as those against hawks, owls, snakes, and 

 skunks ; consequently the usefulness of these animals has to be proved 

 over and over before their needless and indiscriminate slaughter can 

 be checked or adequate laws for their protection enacted. 



Change of opinion about the value of skunks to agriculture has been 

 very slow. Naturalists have generally given testimony favorable to 

 the animals, but until recently their views were not reflected in legis- 

 lation. Indeed, most of the laws for the protection of skunks have 

 been passed because of a scarcity of furs and with the purpose of con- 

 serving a commercial resource. 



PROTECTION OF SKUNKS. 



The earliest legislation for the protection of skunks grew out of ap- 

 peals from hop growers in New York. The legislature in 1893 having 

 delegated to county boards of supervisors the right to enact local game 

 laws, four counties in 1894 provided protection to skunks: Broome 

 and Chenango Counties made a close season from March 1 to Novem- 

 ber 1 ; Onondaga County, from May 1 to November 1 ; Oswego County 

 at first entirely prohibited the taking of skunks, except in a few towns 

 and Oswego city, but in the following year it made an open season for 

 skunks from November 1 to January 1. The State legislature began 

 providing close seasons for skunks in various counties in 1896 and 

 added others in succeeding years, until in 1906 the skunk law applied 

 to 22 counties. Later the close season for skunks and other fur ani- 

 mals was made uniform for the entire State. The open season is now 

 (1913) from November 1 to January 31, inclusive. 



Ohio enacted a law in 1902 prohibiting the taking of skunks 

 from February 1 to November 1, except when kept in inclosures for 

 their fur or when doing injury on the premises of farmers. In 1913 

 the season for taking skunks was shortened and digging or smoking 

 them from dens or destroying the dens was prohibited. 



In West Virginia a general law passed in 1903 protects skunks 

 throughout the year, provided that the law be first approved by a vote 

 of the citizens in any county wishing to adopt it. Apparently this 

 law is entirely inoperative, none of the counties having voted on its 

 adoption. 



In response to a general request from dealers in raw furs, the Michi- 

 gan Legislature of 1899 passed a law forbidding the taking of all furs 

 in September and October. It was not until 1909, however, that the 

 skunk was specifically named as a protected fur animal in that State. 



Skunks are now protected by close seasons in 13 States. The open 

 seasons are as follows : 



Maine, November 1 to March 1; New Hampshire, October 15 to 

 April 1 ; Vermont, November 1 to May 1 ; New York, November 1 to 

 February 1 ; New Jersey, November 15 to April 1 ; Delaware, Decern- 



