Mustelid^. MAMMALIA. Mustelid.e. 87 
but most of them appear referable to this species. The 
the strong smelling fluid, the meat is considered by the 
true skunks are confined to the American continent. 
natives to be excellent food.” These observations 
Accepting Sir John Richardson’s description, the skunk 
agree for the most part with those of Catesby, who 
very closely resembles the wolverene. The body is 
says : — “ When one of them is attacked by a dog, to 
stoutish, and stands low ; the eyes being small, and 
appear formidable it so changes its usual form, by 
the ears short and rounded. “ A narrow white mesial 
bristling up its hairs and contracting its length into a 
line runs from the tip of the nose to the occiput, where 
round form, that it makes a very terrible appearance. 
it dilates into a broad white mai'k. It is again narrowed. 
This menacing behaviour, however insufficient to deter 
and continues so until it passes the shoulders, when it 
its enemy, is seconded by a repulse far more prevail- 
forks, the branches running along the sides, and becom- 
ing ; for from some secret duct it emits such fetid 
ing much broader as they recede from each other. 
effluvia that the atmosphere, for a large space around. 
They approach posteriorly and unite on the rump, 
shall be so infected with it that men and other animals 
becoming at the same time narrower. In some few 
are impatient till they are quit of it. The stench is 
specimens the white stripes do not unite behind, but 
insupportable to some dogs, and necessitates them to 
disappear on the flanks. The black dorsal space 
let their game escape ; others, by thrusting their noses 
included by the stripes is egg-shaped, the narrow end 
into the earth, renew their attacks till they have killed 
of which is towards the shoulders. The sides of the 
it ; but rarely care to have more to do with such 
head and all the under parts are black. The hair on 
noisome game, which for four or five hours distracts 
the body is long. The tail is covered with very long 
them. The Indians, notwithstanding, esteem their 
hairs, and has generally two broad longitudinal white 
flesh a dainty, of which I have eaten and found it well 
stripes above on a black ground. Sometimes the black 
tasted. I have known them brought up young, made 
and white colours of the tail are regularly mixed. Its 
domestic, and prove tame and very active, without 
under surface is black. The claws on the fore-feet are 
exercising that faculty which fear and self-preservation 
very strong and long, being fitted for digging, and very 
perhaps only prompt them to.” Like its congeners. 
unlike those of the martens.” The jaws are provided 
the skunk does not entirely confine itself to an animal 
with eighteen molar teeth, the upper laniaiw grinder 
diet, vegetable matters, especially fruit, being sought in 
being remarkably large. Respecting the habits of the 
the absence of small quadrupeds, frogs, and insects. 
skunk, which has obtained such notoriety on account 
The female produces from six to ten young at a birth. 
of the nauseating smell emitted from the glands previ- 
In the Catalogue of Mammalia preserved in the British 
ously alluded to, the same distinguished naturalist 
Museum, this species is called by Dr. Gray Mephitis 
writes : — “ It exists in the rocky and woody parts of 
varians. 
the country, but is still more frequent in the clumps of 
THE GRISON (Galictis vittata ). — The members of 
wood which sketch the sandy plains of Seskatchewan. 
the genus Galictis originally established by Mr. Bell, 
I have not been able to ascertain the southern range 
are characterized by the possession of eighteen molar 
of this variety of skunk [from Hudson’s Bay] ; and. 
teeth, of which ten are spurious, four of them belonging 
judging from Kahn’s description, there appears to be a 
to the upper series and six to the lower. The body is 
different one in Canada. The skunk passes its winter 
much elongated, terminating in sub-plantigrade penta- 
in a hole, seldom stirring abroad, and then only for a 
dactylous feet, their palms and soles being naked. The 
short distance. It preys on mice, and in summer has 
tail is of moderate length. In the species under con- 
been observed to feed much on frogs. It has a slow 
sideration “ the colours are very remarkable, and the 
gait, and can be overtaken without difficulty, for it 
markings distinct and decided (fig. 23). The whole of 
makes but a poor attempt to escape, putting its trust 
the upper part of the head, the neck, the back, the flank. 
apparently in its power of discomfiting its pursuers by 
and the tail, are jmllo wish -light or brownish-grey, pro- 
the discharge of a noisome fluid. This fluid, which is 
duced by the mixture of a dirty yellowish-white with 
of a deep yellow colour, and is contained in a small 
brownish-black for about two-thirds of their length ; 
bag placed at the root of the tail, emits one of the most 
the tip, dirt}' or yellowish-white. The muzzle, the 
powerful stenches in nature, and so durable that the 
cheeks, the throat, the under part of the neck, the 
spot where a skunk has been killed will retain the 
belly, the anterior legs, and the hinder feet, are black. 
taint for many days. Mr. Graham saj's that he knew 
with a brownish tinge lighter towards the back part. 
several Indians who lost their eyesight in consequence 
and on the belly interspersed with a few whitish hairs. 
of inflammation produced by this fluid having been 
The grey of the upper, and the black of the under 
thrown into them by the animal, which has the power 
parts, are separated by a rather broad fascia (or band), 
of ejecting it to a distance of upwards of four feet. I 
extending on each side from the centre of the forehead 
have known a dead skunk thrown over the stockades 
above the eye, backwards as far as the shoulder. 
of a trading port, which produced instant nausea in 
including the ears ; this fascia is of a buff or yellowish- 
several women, in a house with closed doors upwards 
white colour.” Respecting its habits, Mr. Bell also 
of a hundred yards distant. The odour had some 
records the following interesting particulars. In his 
resemblance to that of garlic, although much more 
“ History of British Quadrupeds,” he says : — “ A tame 
disagreeable. One majq however, soon become fami- 
grison {Galictis vittata) which I possessed for several 
liarized with it ; for, notwithstanding the disgust it 
years, was very fond of frogs, but these wei'e not the 
produces at first, I have managed to skin a couple of 
only reptiles which were obnoxious to its voracity. On 
recent specimens by recurring to the task at intervals. 
one occasion, in the winter, I had placed it in its cage. 
When care is taken not to soil the carcase with any of 
in a room with a fire, where I had also two young 
