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Show 304 MR. O. Y. APLIN ON T H E [Mar. 20, tongue I always knew he had " stuck up " a " bicho " of some kind, and he always barked until he fetched up his human companions (coming out into the open or mounting a big rock occasionally, either to look for them or to show where he was), but not after. This tribute to the good qualities of a great Skunk-slayer may perhaps be excused. But I believe all the dogs in the camp will tackle Skunks-many I know will-and there are lots of dogs which always seem to smell of Skunk more or less strongly. Even a pair of easy-going, good-natured Labrador dogs, whose only delight in life was to swim in the river, I have seen tackle a Skunk and take their dose like their betters. The discharge is certainly very severe-though I never saw any sign of dogs being blinded by it-and makes the best dogs wince, blink, and sneeze. They seem to like to make the Skunk discharge the first shot (for he can fire more than once) while they are as far off as possible; and for this purpose they make feints at it and bark violently, while the Skunk (if out in the open) menaces them with tail erect and back a little arched, every now and then advancing on the dog with little jumps and beating the ground with its fore feet. The dog, having taken one or more shots, finally rushes in (old hands do not, as a rule, run in at once). I saw " Jim " take a Skunk out of an old ant-hole (the entrance to which he had to enlarge) on one occasion, and get shot in the operation. H e then made a rush and jerked the Skunk suddenly out on to the camp, where it stood in a menacing attitude; but the old dog walked deliberately up, took the Skunk by the head, and so dragged it about, cracking its skull at his leisure. Dogs are undoubtedly much distressed after killing a Skunk, rubbing their eyes and head in mud or dust, frothing at the mouth, and " snuffling " a good deal: but all the dogs I came across appeared to be fond of the amusement, and some were desperately keen on it. Late one stdl autumn afternoon, when the dogs had stuck up a Skunk among some " paja," I actually saw the discharge of the effluvium, like thin white spray or steam. W h e n discharging, the Skunk faces the dog, and erects its tail in an upright position, at a right angle, or a shade less perhaps, with the line of the body; but does not lay it along the back. As for the effect of the smell on the human nose, to be near to and to leeward of a Skunk when it discharges is enough to scent one's clothes for a few days ; and although a slight smell of Skunk in the open air is not unpleasant, yet of the stale smell, whether upon clothes or brought about a house by dogs, one gets terribly sick. What it is to be actually hit by a Skunk, I a m glad to say I do not know. The statement (often repeated) that it is possible to pick up a Skunk by the tail before it has time to discharge, and that while being swung by the tail the animal cannot discharge, has been laughed at as a joke practised on the credulity of those who believed in it. All I can say is that it is astonishing that anyone with an extended acquaintance with the camp should doubt this fact-but it is only natural that people should laugh at it if |