THE SMALL NEIGHBORS OF BIG GAME 305 



trap. This animal is distinguished from its nearest rela- 

 tive, the " bob-cat " of the North, by the very long black 

 pencil on the tip of each ear, its enormous feet and legs, 

 and its uniform color of pepper-and-salt gray. Ameri- 

 can lynxes of lower degree are more or less spotted, and 

 have either very small ear-pencils, or none at all. The 

 bay lynx, red lynx or bob-cat — of which there are two 

 or three forms, which hopelessly run together — is much 

 more common than the fearsome Canadian species. 



The Wolverine, Carcajou, or — as the Indians of Wash- 

 ington call it — the Mountain Devil, is quite at home in 

 the Elk River mountains, but his shrewdness is so great 

 that he is seldom seen outside a trap. Unquestionably, this 

 is the most interesting small mammal of the northwest. 

 In some places it is called the Skunk-" Bear." 



If you meet a strange trapper and desire to take a 

 measure of his moral leanings, ask his opinion of the 

 moral character and mental capacity of the Wolverine. 

 I have heard trappers solemnly declare that no matter 

 how much any one may malign this particular devil, 

 its character always is much blacker than it can be 

 painted. 



The Wolverine is the largest, the strongest, most 

 vicious and most cunning member of the Marten Family. 

 In comparison with the size of its body, its teeth are of 

 enormous size and power. It is about as large as a fox 

 terrier, and ten times as savage as a bad bull-dog. It is 

 built on the plan and specifications of a Malay sun-bear, 

 and has the same evil eye, wedge-shaped head, splay feet 

 and truculent manner. It has long hair, ivory-white 



