JULY 
253 
they may often be accidentally touched by birds^ &c. before 
they have been observed. Yet nineteen times out of twenty 
I should think this artifice would fail to deceive the sharp 
glance of an insectivorous bird. The manis, armadillo^ and 
hedgehog, when alarmed, roll themselves up into a ball : but 
in so doing they protect their vulnerable parts, exposing 
only a surface of sharp spines, or a coat of mail, which 
effectually secures them from injury. But I do not know 
that the beetle is a whit better defended from violence, by 
having its limbs wrapped up, than before. Besides, many 
other genera, and those fully as subject to attack, are not 
provided with any such stratagem. On the whole, I can- 
not but think that the end to be answered by this artifice 
is unknown to us at present ; but that it is intended for some 
useful purpose, and that such object is actually accomplished 
by it, the acknowledged power and wisdom of God forbid 
me to doubt. 
C. — Do you not perceive a strong rank smell ? 
F. — Yes : I have smelt it some time : it is the odour of 
a skunk ( Mephitis Americana J, a small animal of the weasel 
tribe. Its colour is black, with a white stripe down each 
side ; the tail is large and bushy. The fur of this animal 
is very soft and valuable ; but its powers of defence are so 
great that it is seldom molested. These consist v^holly 
in the ejection of a peculiar fluid, so intolerably offensive, 
that neither man nor beast can withstand it. It pervades 
the whole atmosphere to a great distance around, and where 
the animal has been killed, the odour continues to be dif- 
fused for many weeks. I once contracted a greater inti- 
macy with this creature than I desired : I did not then know 
its powers. He was rather a pretty fellow to look at, but 
he did not by any means improve on acquaintance. It was 
standing but a few feet distant from me, on the other 
