The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 59 



billed had devoured the dog thrown out, the greedy beasts of prey 

 having left only very scarce remains of it: a few splints of bones 

 and some tufts of hair. The fact that the stony body of the dog 

 which I had tried in vain to quarter by means of an ice-axe before 

 throwing it out, had been devoured by the wolves so completely, 

 proves the extreme strength of the bite of these animals and their 

 immense greediness. 



The two remaining wolves appeared almost daily during a time, 

 especially in the night and in violent storms, close by the side of 

 the ship, but strong and continual snow-drifting made it impossible 

 to use the traps which were covered with snow in the very mo- 

 ment they were set up. Often the men shot at the wolves from the 

 ship, yet the animals did not seem afraid for that reason. Not till 

 the light dawned in the middle of the day so much that larger ob- 

 jects might be distinguished at a rather long distance, did the wol- 

 ves begin to show themselves less bold. 



The two animals were nearly always in company. Verj' rarely 

 did they wander away from the ship, but kept so close to it that 

 every chance of getting some food there might be turned to account. 

 Now they were lying on the snow-drifts on the lower slope of 

 Thermometerfjeldet, now they were trudging about with hairs brist- 

 ling and tails drooping, along the screwed-up ice on the beach, or 

 galloping across the harbour. Defiance and cowardice characterized 

 their nature. Their aspect strikingly reminded one of a couple of 

 miserable stray dogs which had been reduced to live on their own 

 initiative. Their howling was heard now^ and then, especially to- 

 wards evening. 



A sledge party left the ship on February 4*^^ to go to the sta- 

 tion at Pustervig; both the wolves accompanied it. The w^eather 

 was rough and stormy, the snow was drifting, and the temperature 

 went down to -^ 36°. The wolves became more and more imperti- 

 nent, often approaching the sledges at a distance of no more tlian 

 20 meters. The twilight and the unfavourable weather made the 

 use of fire-arms impossible. On account of the storm it was re- 

 solved in the evening to pitch the tent at Hvalrosodden. Still the 

 wolves made themselves felt in the neighbourhood. Next day in 

 the forenoon, while the storm w^as still raging violently, wailing 

 howls of the sledge dogs were heard just outside the tent, and the 

 Greenlander Hendrik ran out with his rifle. He found both wolves 

 fighting with the dogs, and while the larger wolf fled at his arrival, 

 the other remained standing over a dog which it had thrown to the 

 ground, tearing it with great ferocity on head and belly. Hendrik 

 ran up and shot the wolf at a distance of a few steps. 



