Victor Sasser‑age 9, of  Olive, Mississippi

Can a skunk smell his own mush?

There is a good deal of evidence to show that Mr. Skunk can smell his oven odor. .There is even more evidence that he does not like it any more than we do. Naturalists brave enough‑ to watch him in action say that he is very, very careful to keep his musk away from his silky coat. The woods and fields may reef of skunk in every direction. But the skunk who made the horrible smell remains sweet and fragrant.

The musk is a yellow, oily liquid manufactured in two glands at the base of the skunk 1s tail. He can spray this repulsive juice for a distance of nine feet and its smell can spread for half a mile. The liquid is a stinging chemical and sprayed dead on target at the enemy’s face it can cause blindness for a while.

Mr. Skunk knows full well the power of his weapon. He calmly goes about his business with the comfortable feeling that he can protect himself without even getting into a fight. He is a gentlemanly fellow and never uses his weapon of chemical warfare unless driven to do so. When threatened, he gives fair warning and stands his ground, for he is no coward.

Let’s say he is annoyed by a puppy who has not learned that these pretty black and white animals are not to be annoyed. Perhaps the puppy mistakes the skunk for a cat, and wants to tease her into a chase. The puppy barks, plunges forward and backs up.

Mr. Skunk turns and faces the brash young fellow. He growls a few words of warning into his whiskers. The puppy makes another lunge. Mr. Skunk growls again and stamps his front foot. This goes back and forth until the; skunk is sure that the silly puppy is not going to listen to reason. Then he gets ready for action.

The skunk raises his fluffy tail, all but the tip. The muscles around the mush glands are ready to contract and squeeze out the smelly chemical.   The skunk may growl one last warning.  He swings around with the musk glands aimed at the face of his tormentor. Up goes the tip of the tail and swish goes the spray of musk. His aim is good and one or both of the glands may be fired several times.

The puppy howls in lain. Iris eyes soon will stop watering and he will be able to see again. But his coat may smell of skunk for weeks to come.

After the barrage., the skunk bears no ill will at all. As the puppy howls, he strolls off to get awn'‑‑ from the smell. Not a single drop of musk has touched his silky coat.

As a rule, skunks do not defile each other with musk. Perhaps they know that if they do the other fellow can do likewise. Sometimes this rule is broken during the mating season. Two male skunks may call on a lady skunk and get into a jealous fight. The duel starts out with tooth and claw. But, in the heat of battle, one skunk may forget himself and fire his chemical guns at his rival, though this is rare.