NO. 1405. ^rA^f^fALS of XORTinVESr TEnRTTORTES—MACFAULANE. .698 



cious and cowai'dly wolves. A few widl-picked bones and the sknll 

 were the only relics left. At a short distance, however, we perceived 

 a full-grown gray wolf, A\hi('h was at once shot. It had one of its 

 hind legs shattered by a kick from the moose, which so disal)led it 

 that it could scarceh' crawl. Had its companions not been full}' 

 gorged they would doubtless have fallen upon and (>aten it too. 



Although the old saying "mad as a March wolf" may not apply 

 generally, yet there are seasons when many of them undoubtedly suf- 

 fer from distemper similar to that which some years attacks Indian 

 and Eskimo dogs, and are then more or less dangerous. In the 

 month of March. ISiiS, large numbers of northern wolves were thus 

 affected, and several Indians and one or two servants of the company 

 were attacked and narrowl}' escaped ])eino- Ijitten, while it was cur- 

 rently reported that an elderly native woman had been killed about 

 that time in the forest at a distance of several miles from Fort Rae, 

 (ireat Slave Lake. Instances have also occurred when^ tht\v have car- 

 ried otf dogs from the vicinity of the posts, and also from the winter 

 night encampments of north(^rn traveh>rs. 



In some seasons, the woodland wolf is more a))undant than usual at 

 certain points throughout the north. It is naturally more munerous 

 in sections wIkm-c reindeer abound. It breeds once a year — the female 

 has from three to live, and occasionally as many as six at a birth. 

 The eyes of the young' are closed, and they are as helpless as dog pups 

 for some days after the}' are born. The male is believed to assist his 

 mate in rearing the ofispi'ing. Copulation of the sexes takes place 

 during the months of February and March. 



Wolves of this kind have been ol)served and some captured on 

 many of the large islands to the north of the American arctic coast. 

 Doctor Armstrong noticed a number on Baring- Island and elsewhere, 

 while Sir James Clark Koss states that considerable numbers of them 

 collected on the narrow portion of the Isthnuis of Boothia Felix in 

 order to intercept the reindeer on their annual spring migrations. 

 He also mentions that a single wolf will go among any mnnber of 

 Eskimo dogs and carry ott' one from among them without the others 

 attempting an attack. General (ireely's party obtained six examples 

 at or near their winter c|uarters at P'ort Conger, in Ltidy Franklin 

 Bay, and he gives latitude 82"^ 50' as the northern limit of this animal 

 which is there indigenous. Sir Edward Parry records its presence on 

 Melville and the other North Georgian Islands. 



In the sketch of North Western America (18»)S), Archbishop Tache, 

 of St. Boniface, Maiiitoba, recounts a remarkalde instance of [jersever- 

 ing fortitude exhii)ited by a large dark wolf caught in a steel trap at 

 Isle a la Crosse many years ago. A month afterwards, it was killed 

 near trreen Lake, 90 mihvs distant, with the traj) and connecting wood 

 block still attacluMl to one of its hind let's. It had (nicU'iitly di'auged 



