Skunk \Skunk\, n. [Contr. from the Abenaki (American Indian)
seganku.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of several species of American musteline carnivores
of the genus Mephitis and allied genera. They have two
glands near the anus, secreting an extremely fetid liquid,
which the animal ejects at pleasure as a means of defense.
Note: The common species of the Eastern United States
({Mephitis mephitica}) is black with more or less white
on the body and tail. The spotted skunk ({Spilogale
putorius}), native of the Southwestern United States
and Mexico, is smaller than the common skunk, and is
variously marked with black and white.
Skunk bird, Skunk blackbird (Zo["o]l.), the bobolink; --
so called because the male, in the breeding season, is
black and white, like a skunk.
Skunk cabbage (Bot.), an American aroid herb ({Symplocarpus
f[oe]tidus}>) having a reddish hornlike spathe in earliest
spring, followed by a cluster of large cabbagelike leaves.
It exhales a disagreeable odor. Also called swamp
cabbage}.
Skunk porpoise. (Zo["o]l.) See under Porpoise.
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