52 NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID.^. 



ture, at times, such prey as Hares or Grouse, and they successfully 

 attack disabled Deer. We have already seeu how they destroy 

 Foxes in their burrows; and they are usually found in excel- 

 lent condition. They also feed on offal or carrion ; in fact, any- 

 thing that they can catch or steal. Their own flesh is only 

 eatable in the extreme of starvation. They bring forth in bur- 

 rows under ground, probably old Bear washes, and have four 

 or five young at a birth. It is very rarely that they are discov- 

 ered at this period or whilst suckling their young. One rea- 

 son, however, may be that they reproduce late in June and y 

 early in July, when the mosquitoes are so numerous that no 

 one who can avoid it goes abroad in the woods. The rutting 

 season is in the latter part of March. The female is ferocious 

 in the defense of her young, and if disturbed at this time will 

 not hesitate to attack a man. Indeed, Indians have been heard 

 to aver that they would sooner encounter a she-bear with her 

 cubs than a Carcajou under the same circumstances. In Octo- 

 ber, when the rivers set fast, the Wolverenes reappear in fam- 

 ilies, the youDg still following their dam, though now not much 

 her inferior in size. They are full grown when about a year-- 

 old. In early infancy, the cubs are said to be of a pale cream ^ 

 color. 



The Wolverene may be captured in wooden traps similar to 

 those used for ^Martens, but of course made on a much larger 

 ^ scale, as the auimal\s strength is enormous, even for its size. 

 The traps are so'metimes built with two doors. But so great is 

 the cunning and sagacity of the beast, that the contrivance for 

 its destruction must be very perfect. The traps are covered 

 up with pine-brush, and made to resemble a cache as much as 

 possible J the Wolverene is then likely to break in and get 

 caught. The bait, ordinarily the conspicuous feature of a trap, 

 must in this instance be concealed, or the animal will either 

 break in from behind, or, failing in this, will pass on his way. 

 \ It is sometimes also taken in steel traps, or by means of a set 

 gun J but both these methods are uncertain, great "medicine" 

 ^being required to outwit the knowing and suspicious beast. 

 _.The eyesight of the Wolverene is not very bright, but his 

 sense of smell is extremely acute. 



"The winter I passed at Fort Simpson", writes Mr. Lock- 

 hart, " I had a line of Marten and Fox traps, and Lynx snares, 

 extending as far as Lac de Brochet. Visiting them on one 

 occasion I found a Lynx alive in one of my snares; and being 



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