WOLVES, LYNXES, BLACK BEARS. 63 



scions that they were running any risk of 

 encountering a lurking enemy on their line of 

 march. 



Possibly this want of alertness — so very 

 different to the constant watchfulness displayed 

 by African antelopes, for instance — may be due 

 to the fact that in Newfoundland there are prac- 

 tically no carnivorous animals which habitually 

 prey on the caribou. There are a few wolves, it 

 is true, but these fierce and formidable creatures 

 appear to be extremely scarce and, singularly 

 enough, do not increase in numbers. 



Lynxes, although now numerous in Newfound- 

 land, have only recently established themselves 

 on the island, and are said to be the descen- 

 dants of a few enterprising individuals which, 

 during a severe winter, crossed the Straits 

 of Belle Isle on the ice from the neigh- 

 bouring coast of Labrador. These lynxes, 

 however, although they may occasionally catch 

 and kill a caribou fawn, are believed to live 

 almost entirely on hares and willow grouse. 

 The American black bear is also found in 

 Newfoundland, but lives principally on berries, 



