182 U. 9. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—-GENERAL REPORT. 
scarcely exceeding those of the domesticated rabbit. The ears, too, are very small, and nearly 
concealed in the fur, longer than high, and well coated on both sides with hair. 
The feet are large and powerful. The claws are large, sharp, and much curved ; those of 
the fore feet largest. The soles of the fore feet are densely covered with stiff bristly hairs, 
excepting on the balls of the toes. There is also a large naked patch beneath the carpus. The 
first front toe is placed considerably behind the rest, although its claw reaches nearly to the 
base of that adjacent to it. The fourth toe and claw are considerably longest; the third claw 
reaches about half way along the fourth ; the fifth is a little less, the second is still less. The 
longest of the hind claws is the third; the fourth is a little shorter, then the second, fifth, 
and first. As far as discernible in the skin, the balls of the toes are naked, making five pads, 
and there is a sixth under the metatarsus. The tail measures from one-third to one-fourth the 
length of head and body ; it is very thick and densely bushy, with very long hairs, which are 
shorter at the tip, thus imparting a subtruncate appearance. 
The hair is nearly as full and long as that of the black bear, the long staple is coarser, and 
there is among its roots a good deal of rather coarse, wiry, crimped wool. 
The most prominent color is a dark purplish brown; the tail, except at the base, the limbs, 
and under parts generally, nearly black. The flanks, commencing behind the axille and pass- 
ing backwards over the base of the tail, are of a paler tint of chestnut brown, which gives rise, 
laterally and posteriorly, to a light border to the dark color of the back. There is a grizzled 
patch of mixed hoary and chestnut hairs passing from the central line of the forehead above 
the eyes alon,y the temples and a little obliquely to the ears. There is a tuft of white hairs on 
each side of the neck, and another between the legs. 
Dimensions of No. 45. 
rr 
Inches. 
Length tooot-of tails--2 22-2. So 2oe. ee ee oe 36 
Tailto end"6burertebim,.2 5-25-50 o9se oe enna 9 
Warl'40'end (Of halts: eee oe ein elnino ele 14 
Longest hairs of the tail_...-...-..-----.---..--- 7 
Longest hairs of the body ----------.--.--.--.--- 4 
The specimen described above is unusually large, considerably exceeding those mentioned by 
Audubon and Bachman and Richardson. It was brought to Fort Union from some of the posts 
towards the Rocky Mountains. 
I have no European specimens before me for comparison, but the wolverine is now pretty gen- 
erally considered to be identical with the glutton of Europe. First described by Linnzus as 
Ursus gulo, this specific name was lost when taken fora generic one. The name next in priority 
was the Ursus luscus of Linneeus, founded on a specimen brought from America. Should, there- 
fore, it become expedient to separate the Old and New World species, the name of Glo luscus 
will remain for the American, the European receiving that of Gulo borealis or arcticus. 
The wolverine is confined, in North America, to the more boreal regions. Occasionally met 
with in northern New York, it is more abundant further north. It is found at times in the 
Black Hills of the Missouri, but it is most numerous in the Rocky Mountains and towards the 
polar circle. 'The most southern locality known in the west is the basin of the Great Salt Lake. 
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