WEESE L. 
markable for the peftiferous, fuffocating, and mod 
foetid vapour, they emit from behind, when attack¬ 
ed, purfued, or frightened: it is their only means 
of defence : fome turn * their tail to their enemy, 
and keep them at a diftance by a frequent crepitus ; 
and others ejaculate their urine, tainted with the 
horrid effluvia, to the diftance of eighteen feet: the 
purfuers are flopped with the terrible flench: fhould 
any of this liquid fall into the eyes, it almoft occa- 
fions blindnefs ; if on the cloaths, the fmell will re¬ 
main for feveral days, in fpite of all waffling *, they 
muft even be buried in freffl foil, in order to be 
fweetened. Dogs that are not true bred, run back 
as foon as they perceive the fmell; thofe that have 
been ufed to it, will kill the animal; but are often 
obliged to relieve themfelves by thrufting their nofes 
into the ground. There is no bearing the company 
of a dog that has killed one, for feveral days. 
ProfefTor Kalm was one night in great danger of 
being fuffocated by one that was purfued into a 
houfe where he flept 5 and it affedled the cattle fo„ 
that they bellowed through pain. Another, which 
was killed by a maid fervant in a cellar, fo affedted 
her with its flench, that ffle lay ill for feveral days : 
all the provifions that were in the place were 1b 
tainted, that the owner was obliged to throw them 
away. 
Notwithftanding this, the fleffl is reckoned good 
meat, and not unlike that of a pig: but it muft be 
* Wood's <voy . in Dampier , iv. 96. the reft of the account is take* 
from Cate/hy and Kalm, 
0.4 
fkinnecj 
