Skunk \Skunk\, n. [Contr. from the Abenaki (American Indian)
   seganku.] (Zool.)
   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.
   [1913 Webster]

   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.
         [1913 Webster]

   Skunk bird, Skunk blackbird (Zool.), 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. (Zool.) See under Porpoise.
      [1913 Webster]

Porpoise \Por"poise\, n. [OE. porpeys, OF. porpeis, literally,
   hog fish, from L. porcus swine + piscis fish. See Pork, and
   Fish.]
   1. (Zool.) Any small cetacean of the genus Phoc[ae]na,
      especially Phoc[ae]na communis, or Phoc[ae]na
      phoc[ae]na, of Europe, and the closely allied American
      species (Phoc[ae]na 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.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Zool.) A true dolphin (Delphinus); -- often so called
      by sailors.
      [1913 Webster]

   Skunk porpoise, or Bay porpoise (Zool.), 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.
      [1913 Webster]