Wolverine 951 



"In October, when the rivers set fast, the Wolverines re- 

 appear in families, the young still following their dam, though 

 now not much her inferior in size. They are full grown when 

 about a year old."" (Lockhart.) But one brood is produced 

 in a year. 



The Wolverine has been made the subject of many marvel- 

 lous stories. We are told, for example, that it habitually lies 

 in wait up some tree for Deer to pass; it drops on them and 

 rides them to death, then devours the carcass at one enormous 

 meal. As a matter of fact, a Wolverine rarely climbs, it seldom 

 attacks a full-grown Deer, and its appetite is no more than that 

 of any other flesh-eater of its size. Its usual prey is small 

 mammals and carrion. It is notorious for its pertinacious perse- 

 cutions of the trapper. Every trapper in the fur countries can 

 relate personal experiences of the Wolverine, and Richardson 

 also bears testimony to its cunning and its propensity for 

 mischief: 



"The Wolverine'^ [he says] is extremely wary and shows 

 extraordinary sagacity and perseverance in accomplishing its 

 ends. The Indians believe that it is inspired with the spirit 

 of mischief, and endowed with preternatural powers. Though 

 more destructive to their hoards of provisions than the Wolf 

 or even the Bear, and able to penetrate fences that resist their 

 powerful efi^orts, it is only about thirty inches long, a foot high 

 at the shoulder, and one foot six inches at the rump, but it is 

 very compactly made. With teeth that do not seem to be 

 peculiarly fitted for cutting wood, it will sever a log equal to 

 a man's thigh in thickness, by constant gnawing. In selecting 

 the spot it intends to breach, it shows as much skill as the 

 Beaver, generally contriving to cut a log near one end, so that 

 it may fall down into some void space, and thus open an en- 

 trance into the hoard. The animal works so hard in carrying 

 on this operation that it causes its mouth to bleed, as the ends 

 of the logs and the snow often testify. Once admitted into the 



" Coues, Fur-bearing Anim., 1877, p. 52. 

 " Arc. Search Exp., 1851, Vol. II, pp. 84-6. 



