Wolverine 955 



pulse to hide prey that made him carry my trap so far merely 

 for the morsel of meat still held in it ? Or did his cunning 

 nature prompt him to hide the trap for fear that on some future 

 unlucky occasion he might put his own toes in it and share the 

 Rabbit's fate?" 



To this bewildering evidence of sagacity Dr. Coues 

 adds:'^ "This propensity of the Wolverine to carry off traps 

 receives confirmation from other sources. In Captain Cart- 

 wright's Journal (II, 407), a similar instance is recorded in 

 the following terms: 'In coming to the foot of Table Hill 

 I crossed the track of a Wolvering with one of Mr. Calling- 

 ham's traps on his foot; the Foxes had followed his bleeding 

 track. As this beast went through the thick of the woods, 

 under the north side of the hill, where the snow was so deep 

 and light that it was with the greatest difficulty I could follow 

 him even on Indian rackets, I was quite puzzled to know how 

 he had contrived to prevent the trap from catching hold of the 

 branches of trees or sinking in the snow. But on coming up 

 with him I discovered how he had managed. For, after making 

 an attempt to fly at me, he took the trap in his mouth and ran 

 upon three legs. These creatures are surprisingly strong in 

 proportion to their size; this one weighed only 26 pounds and 

 the trap 8; yet, including all the turns he had taken, he carried 

 it 6 miles.'" 



"The hunter [says Lockhart]'" may safely leave an animal 

 he has killed, for one night, but never for a second time, without 

 placing it in a strong cache of logs. The first night the Wol- 

 verine is pretty sure to visit the place, but will touch nothing. 

 The next night he is certain to return, and, if he can possibly 

 get at the meat, he will gorge himself, and then make 

 away with the rest, which he cunningly hides, piece by piece, 

 under the snow, in different directions. At every cache he 

 makes he voids his urine or drops his dirt, probably to prevent 

 Foxes, Martens, or other animals from smelling the hidden 

 meat and digging it up. Caches must be made of green wood, 

 and be exceedingly strong, or the animal will certainly break 



"■Op. cit., p. 55. "O/-. cil., pp. 50-1. 



