. The babyhood of wild beasts . sniffing cautiously he roots up snakeand turtle eggs, which are a great luxury to is ever on the look-out for wood mice and theeggs of birds that nest on the ground. The babies are from six to ten in number andlive in and around the burrow until the followingspring. They appear to be full-grown at thistime and make homes for themselves. Whentaken early, baby Skunks make fine pets. TheIndians discovered that. So also has Dr. Mer-riam, who says, They are cleanly, attractive,gentle, playful and affectionate. He writes:These Skunks would climb up my legs and
. The babyhood of wild beasts . sniffing cautiously he roots up snakeand turtle eggs, which are a great luxury to is ever on the look-out for wood mice and theeggs of birds that nest on the ground. The babies are from six to ten in number andlive in and around the burrow until the followingspring. They appear to be full-grown at thistime and make homes for themselves. Whentaken early, baby Skunks make fine pets. TheIndians discovered that. So also has Dr. Mer-riam, who says, They are cleanly, attractive,gentle, playful and affectionate. He writes:These Skunks would climb up my legs and getinto my arms. They liked to be caressed andnever offered to bite. Of his pet skunk Meph he writes: Aftersupper I commonly took a walk. Meph alwaysfollowed close to my heels. If I chanced to walktoo fast, he would scold and stamp his fore-feet;and if I persisted in keeping too far ahead, wouldturn about disgusted and make off in anotherdirection. But if I stopped and called him, hewould hurry along at an ambling pace and soon. Conrtcsy of the A)iiericaH Museum of Natural HistoryMother Skunk has led her black and white children out of the Inirrow to take a peepat the world and perchance to catch a few grasshoppers. Papa Skunk sneaked out early andhas brought the youngsters a fat, juicy mouse for a treat. BABY SKUNKS 105 overtake me. We used to walk through the woodsto a large meadow that abounded in grass-hop-pers. Here Meph would fairly revel in his foodand it was rich sport to watch his a grasshopper jumped, he jumped, and Ihave seen him with as many as three in his mouthand two under his fore-paws at a time. He wouldeat so much that his over-distended little bellywould drag upon the ground; and when so fullhe could eat no more, he would still catch and slaythem. When so small he could scarcely toddleabout, he never hesitated to tackle the large pow-erful beetle known as the horned bug, and gotmany smart nips for his audacity. He was sucha courageous little f
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjecta, booksubjectzoology
