. The animals of the world. Brehm's life of animals;. Mammals. 174 THE BEASTS OF PREY. one reads what abominably fetid odors they are ca- pable of spreading, he can understand what a genu- ine scent gland means ! All accounts of American travelers and naturalists agree that one cannot por- tray the effect of the secretions of these animals. No chemical laboratory, no heap of refuse, no foul carcass, in short, no stench on earth is said to be as fetid and unbearable as that which the graceful ani- mals of the genus Mephitis give forth, and with which they impregnate objects for weeks or even mo
. The animals of the world. Brehm's life of animals;. Mammals. 174 THE BEASTS OF PREY. one reads what abominably fetid odors they are ca- pable of spreading, he can understand what a genu- ine scent gland means ! All accounts of American travelers and naturalists agree that one cannot por- tray the effect of the secretions of these animals. No chemical laboratory, no heap of refuse, no foul carcass, in short, no stench on earth is said to be as fetid and unbearable as that which the graceful ani- mals of the genus Mephitis give forth, and with which they impregnate objects for weeks or even months. The odor is said to be pestilential, and a person who has had the misfortune to come in close relations. THE SITRILHO. This Brazilian animal is closely related to the more familiar Skunk, and ejects a mephitic secretion which is the nearest approach in foulness of odor to that of its northern cousin. The brown or black coat is generally varied with wide, white stripes, from the forehead to the root of the tail, but dividing into two along the spine as shown in the picture. It is a rather handsome animal, with a head somewhat elongated and narrowing toward the snout, and long claws to aid it in scratching up the ground in its search for Beetles. (Mephitis suf- focans.) with one of those animals is avoided by eyery one, as though he had the plague. In spite of their small size, these animals are such powerful enemies of Man, that those whom their terrible secretion has touched are ostracised from human society. These creatures can render an entire house uninhabitable, or make valueless a stock of precious goods. Characteriatics The Mephitis have a more slender of the body than the Badgers, a long tail. Skunk Group, a large nose, a black ground-color, and white striped markings. The head is small in proportion to the size of the body, and pointed; the small eyes have a sharp, penetrating look, the ears are short and rounded; the short legs Have medium sized paws, endowed wit
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectmammals, bookyear1895
