MAMMALS AND BIRDS OF PBIN'CE OF WALES SOUND. 113 



Their food is very varied and their appetite so great there are few 

 animals tliey will not attack and devour, even the Eskimo dog is 

 occasionally carried off. 



Their fur is very much valued by the Eskimo for clothing, but as 

 a rule goes to the trader for powder, lead and tobacco. 



Wolverine (Oulo Luscus), (Kuhvic, Eskimo). 



This is the Eskimo's greatest enemy, and should one appear at 

 any time near their camps they will not rest until it has been killed, 

 and when one is brought in there is great rejoicing. It is the most 

 ingenious thief of all the animals in this i-egion, and is so strong that 

 no Cach^, however well built, is safe where it exists. It will turn 

 heavy stones over and once in the Cach6 it does not stop to untie the 

 well made skin bag but soon tears a hole and, Eskimo fashion, lives 

 on oil and blubber until the bag is emptied, when it turns its atten- 

 tion to the next Cachd. 



The thieving propensities of this animal are so like that of a dis- 

 honest human being that an Eskimo who is known to be a thief is' 

 called a " Kubvic " by his people. 



Fortunately this animal is not numerous in the Sound, though 

 they are often trapped a few miles to the westward where they, 

 like the wolf, are seen throughout the year. 



Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus L.), ( Ter-i-in-i-ak, Eskimo). 



There are two varieties of this animal, common in these regions, 

 the blue and the white, the habits of which, with a few exceptions, 

 appear to be so like that of the red, black and silver-grey foxes, all 

 of which were seen, that it will only be necessary to speak of them 

 as a single species. 



About the beginning of September the white fox began to appear 

 in large numbers upon the coast, and shortly after those of other 

 colour, which are much rarer, were I'eported as having been seen. 



At this time the fur of all the foxes is very short, and that of the 

 Arctic Fox is, for the most part, of slatish colour, though in some 

 instances, almost white, with a few scattered black tipped hairs. 



Spring ti-aps were kept set throughout the winter, and a number 

 of red and white foxes were taken, by wiiich means we were enabled 

 to note the changes in the colour of the fur. 



Late in November the fur was still very grey, especially near the 

 roots of the hair, and showed little change a month later. During 



