Gray-wolf 759 



There is, however, some evidence for the other view. 

 The Alaskan sled-dogs are known to be domesticated Wolves; 

 all are much mixed with wild Wolf blood, some even are Wolves 

 captured when young. Captain Dick Craine, who spent nine 

 years among them, owning and handling in that time about 

 200, tells me that he has several times known a pair of half- 

 wolf train-dogs to mate and remain together as mates until the 

 pups were well grown, after which they parted. Two very 

 marked cases happened at the same time. In these the father 

 took an interest in the pups and the mother allowed him to 

 approach them, but warned all others away. He never saw 

 the father feed the pups, but the mother often did so by dis- 

 gorging. 



From these cases he infers that the Wolves mate for one 

 season but not for life. 



Dr. Woods Hutchinson, in his paper on "Animal Mar- 

 riage," says:" 



"There is a general impression among field-naturalists 

 and trappers that many of these animals, having once paired, 

 come together again in the succeeding seasons, although they 

 may be widely separated during the intervening part of the 

 year. Indeed, some of them positively declare that the union 

 among Wolves, Foxes, Panthers, Lions, and Seals, is practically 

 for life. In a few species, however, does it terminate until the 

 expiration of the period required for the young to become able 

 to shift for themselves. In some of these, like certain Wolves, 

 the father practically disappears during the nest period of the 

 young, but joins the family again when the cubs are able to 

 run." 



A degree of this latter custom is seen in Foxes, Coyotes, 

 and several other carnivores. It seems that in all these crea- 

 tures there is a deep-laid instinct to leave the mother quite alone 

 during parturition, and until the young are some days, or in 

 some cases weeks, old, after which the father is allowed to join 

 the family. This, it will be remembered, is closely paralleled 

 by the practice of many tribes of human savages. 



' See Note 4. 



