358 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. XL 



Wolverines do not hibernate but wander about in the snow in the 

 coldest weather. Audubon and Bachman tracked one for five miles 

 over snow-covered hills in northern New York.* Mr. Edward G. 

 Kingsford of Iron Mountain, Michigan, who met with this species a 

 number of times in Minnesota, writes: 



"I remember chasing one on snow shoes in Minnesota about fifteen 

 miles, thinking that I might catch him as the snow was soft and his short 

 legs seemed to go in full length, but he was going when I quit." 



According to various writers the Wolverine makes its den in a hollow 

 in the ground or a natural cave under rocks. The young are born in 

 May or June and usually number froin 2 to 4, although, according to 

 MacFarlane, 5 are occasionally found in a litter. f 



This species possesses anal glands secreting a rather thick yellowish 

 brown fluid. The odor is extremely noxious, but the fluid cannot be 

 forcibly ejected to a distance. 



Genus PUTORIUSf Cuvier. 



Putorius Cuvier, Regne Animal, I, 1S17, p. 147. Type Mustela putorius 



Linn. 



Body long; tail close-haired or bushy; legs short; carnassial tooth in 

 lower jaw without internal cusp ; rostrum short ; bullae flattened. Differs 

 in dentition from genus Mustela by having one less premolar on each side 

 of upper and lower jaw. 



Dental formula: I. ^^> C. ^-^) Pm. ^-^, M. ^—^=34. 

 3-3 i-i 3-3 2-2 



Two subgenera, which may be characterized as follows, are repre- 

 sented within our limits: 



A. Total length generally more than 19.50 inches (size variable); color brown all 



over, including under parts, except a white spot on chin and usually another on 

 the breast; soles of feet mostly bare; does not turn white in winter. 



Subgenus LUTREOLA, Minks, p. 361. 



B. Total length less than 19.50 inches; color brown above, white or yellowish white 



below; soles of feet mostly covered with hair; turns white in winter in this, 

 latitude. Subgenus ICTIS, Weasels, p. 366. 



* Quadrupeds of N. Amer., I, 1846, p. 207. 



t Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXVIII, 1905, p. 708. 



t According to Thomas (Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 191 1, p. 139) the name Putorius, 

 commonly used for this genus, must be changed to Mustela; and the name Mustela, 

 at present used for the Martens, must give place to Martes. 



