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.

Porpoise \Por"poise\, n. [OE. porpeys, OF. porpeis, literally, hog fish, from L. porcus swine + piscis fish. See Pork, and Fish.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any small cetacean of the genus Phoc[ae]na, especially P. communis, or P. phoc[ae]na, of Europe, and the closely allied American species ({P. Americana}). The color is dusky or blackish above, paler beneath. They are closely allied to the dolphins, but have a shorter snout. Called also harbor porpoise, herring hag, puffing pig, and snuffer. 2. (Zo["o]l.) A true dolphin ({Delphinus}); -- often so called by sailors. Skunk porpoise, or Bay porpoise (Zo["o]l.), a North American porpoise ({Lagenorhynchus acutus}), larger than the common species, and with broad stripes of white and yellow on the sides. See Illustration in Appendix.

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