24 On the Fur-bearing Animals 



MusTELA Pennanti. — ErxUhen, 



Sp. Ch. Legs, tail, belly and hinder part of back, black, the 

 back with an increasing proportion of greyish white to the head. 

 Length over two feet. Vertebrae of tail exceeding twelve inches. 



This animal is the Pecan or Fisher of the fur traders. In this 

 district it is not found except in the vicinity of Fort Resolution, 

 which may be considered as its northern limit. In the numerous 

 deltas of the mouth of Slave Kiver it is abundant, frequenting the 

 large grassy marshes or prairies, for the purpose of catching mice, 

 its principal food. In appearance it bears a strong family likeness 

 to both the martin and the wolverine. Its general shape assimilates 

 more to the former, but the head and ears have a greater simi- 

 litude to those of the latter. It is named by the Chippewayan 

 Indians " Tha cho," or great martin. Its neck, legs and feet are 

 stouter in proportion than those of the martin, and its claws much 

 stronger. In color and size it varies greatly. Young full'furred 

 specimens, or those born the previous spring, can scarcely be dis- 

 tinguished from large martins except by a darker pelage and a 

 less full, and more pointed tail. As it advances towards old age, 

 the color of the fur grows lighter, the long hairs become coarser 

 and the greyish markings are of greater extent and more conspi- 

 cuous. 



The largest fisher which I have seen, was killed by myself on 

 the Riviere de Argent, one of the channels of the mouth of the 

 Slave River, about 15 miles from Fort Resolution. It was fully 

 as long as a Fulvus fox, much more muscular and weighed 18 

 lbs. In the color of its fur the greyish tints preponderated, ex- 

 tending from half way down the back to the nose. The fur was 

 comparatively coarse ; though thick and full. The tail was long and 

 pointed, and the whole shade of the pelage was very light and 

 had rather a faded look. Its claws were very strong and of brown 

 color ; and as if to mark its extreme old age the teeth were a 

 good deal worn and very much decayed. I caught it 

 with difficulty. For about two weeks it had been infesting 

 my martin road, tearing down the traps and devouring the baits. 

 So, resolved to destroy it, I made a strong wooden trap. It 

 climbed up this, entered from above, and ate the meat. A gun 

 was next set but with no better success, it cut the line and ran 

 off with the bone that was tied to the end of it. As a " dernier 

 resort " I put a steel trap in the middle of the road, covered it 



