TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 223 



sists principally of rabbits, grouse, and squirrels. As compared 

 with the wolverine it shows little cunning in avoiding traps, being 

 very curious and having a voracious appetite. It was, therefore, 

 probably exterminated very early by the trappers, but there is no 

 evidence that it ever has been really plentiful. On the Pacific 

 Coast in 1873 this animal was fairly abundant; even then seven 

 or eight skins secured with marten traps would constitute a good 

 winter's catch. 



The wolverine (Giilo luscus) is the greatest enemy of the 

 trapper. It is extremely cautious about traps, skilfully approach- 

 ing and removing both the bait and the animal captured by the 

 trap. It will remove a trapped marten, take it off some distance, 

 bury it in the snow and foul the surface. It is a great traveller, 

 following a line of traps, backward and forward, out of reach and 

 out of sight of the trapper. It can be caught only by a very 

 skilful combination of traps, one of which is used as a decoy. 



The puma (Felts concolor) is rare here, and is not found farther 

 north. A few have been taken on White River. The maximum 

 length is seven and a half to eight feet over all. Smith secured 

 one in 1904 near the Sulphur Pool in Elk River Valley. Another 

 was killed on Pass Creek near Smith's cabin. Tracks are occasion- 

 ally observed on Pass Creek and on the White River. The Ca- 

 nadian lynx {Lynx canadensis) is more abundant, ranging as far 

 to the south as Colville River in Washington. It is also found 

 to the south, especially in the White River country and in the foot- 

 hills of the east side of the neighboring Rockies. 



Among the larger Carnivora the Canidae are represented by 

 scattered coyotes (Canis lafraiis), the very rare gray or timber 

 wolves (Canis occidentalis). The Ursidse are represented by 

 the black and grizzly bears. 



PECORA. 



The buffalo (Bison bison) were formerly in this country, and 

 at one time even in this valley, as proved by a skull found near 

 Smith's ranch in the valley of the Elk River. The last of the 

 herd in this region were, however, exterminated in 1886 on the 

 plains of Alberta. 



The deer family were originally represented by the moose, 

 the wapiti, the caribou, the mule deer, the white-tail deer, the 

 mountain sheep, and the mountain goats. 



The moose (Alces americanus) are practically gone from this 

 country. The last one seen by Smith was in 1901. Caribou of 



