768 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



a well-founded fear of anything that bears the taint of a human 

 being. This distrust, combined with its exquisite sense of 

 smell, may explain much that looks like profound sagacity 

 in this animal. Nevertheless, this will not explain all, as 

 I have had very good reason to remark again and again, 

 when I have endeavoured to trap or poison Wolves on the 

 cattle ranges. 



And even ascribing much to mere shyness does not 

 remove it from the sphere of intelligence, though doubtless 

 ranking it lower in that department, making it a vague fear 

 of the unknown, in place of a dread of danger well compre- 

 hended. 



One of the most curious instances, I find, is given by 

 B. R. Ross. The evidence is purely circumstantial and not 

 complete at that, but Ross was a good naturalist and evidently 

 believed the case proven: 



"In the month of May," he says,'* "when the holes cut 

 in the ice do not freeze up, the fisherman at Fort Resolution 

 on visiting his trout lines, set at some distance from the Fort, 

 discovered that several had been visited; the lines and hooks 

 were lying on the ice, as well as the remains of a partly eaten 

 trout, and a Wolf's track was observed about the place. The 

 fact was the Wolf had hauled up the lines and helped himself 

 to what fish he required. This occurred again and then ceased, 

 the animal having been probably driven away by the dogs of 

 the Post." 



The diet of this species includes every kind of animal 

 food, that he can secure, from Mice to Moose. Through- 

 out the summer Mice and such 'small deer' are doubtless 

 the staples. The coming of winter makes a radical change. 

 First, it puts the small game beyond reach; second, it robs 

 the Moose and Deer of the safe refuge afforded by the lakes 

 and rivers, and thus brings these great ruminants into the 

 dietary of the Wolves. 



" Fur-bearing .Anim., Mack, R., Can. Nat., Januar}-, 1861, p. 10. 



