90^ Life-histories of Northern Animals 



other words, both Deer and Beaver are usually safe from 

 its attacks. 



Hearne, after living for years in the fur countries, writes:" 

 "These animals are great enemies to the Beaver, but the 

 manner of life of the latter prevents them from falling into their 

 clutches so frequently as many other animals; they commit vast 

 depredations on the Foxes during the summer, while the young 

 ones are small; their quick scent directs them to their dens, and 

 if the entrance be too small, their strength enables them to 

 widen it, and go in and kill the mother and all the cubs. In fact, 

 they are the most destructive animals in the country." Richard- 

 son's views are in line.^° It "feeds [he says] chiefly upon the car- 

 cases of beasts that have been killed by accident. * * * It feeds 

 also on Meadow-mice, Marmots, and other rodentia, and occa- 

 sionally on disabled quadrupeds of a larger size. I have seen 

 one chasing an American Hare, which was at the same time 

 harassed by a snowy owl." Coues, condensing many accounts, 

 says" they will devour "anything they can catch or steal. Their 

 own flesh is eatable only in the extreme of starvation," but he 

 does not make it clear whether it is the hunter or the Wolverine 

 that must be starving before it will eat Wolverine meat. Han- 

 bury records the species feeding on Ground-squirrels. 



The more light we have on the habits of the Wolverine, 

 the more its living prey diminishes in size, and I doubt not 

 that continued investigation will dwindle its main support into 

 Ground-squirrels or Mice, with even these taking second 

 place in its affections to carrion or stolen meat. Nevertheless, 

 a marked and wonderful exception has just come to hand; an 

 evidence of what this creature can do when pushed by the dire 

 extremity of famine. J. Keele, of the Canadian Geological 

 Survey, while travelling on Third Lake, Ross River (an affluent 

 of the Pelly), March 27, 1908, came on a Moose that was floun- 

 dering in the deep snow. He and his companion shot it before 

 they realized that it was already done nearly to death by a 

 Wolverine that had leaped on its back from a tree.-' 



" Journey, 1795, p. 372. " F. B. A., 1829, I, p. 43. 



" Fur-bearing Anim., 1877, p. 52. '* Forest and Stream, December 19, 1908, p. 971. 



