182 U. 8. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



scarcely exceeding those of the domesticated rabbit. The ears, too, are very small, and nearly 

 concealed in the fur, longer than high, and well coated on both sides with hair. 



The feet are large and powerful. The claws are large, sharp, and much curred ; those of 

 the fore feet largest. The soles of the fore feet are densely covered with stiff bristly hairs, 

 excepting on the balls of the toes. There is also a large naked patch beneath the carpus. The 

 first front toe is placed considerably behind the rest, although its claw reaches nearly to the 

 base of that adjacent to it. The fourth toe and claw are considerably longest ; the third claw 

 reaches about half way along the fourth ; the fifth is a little less, the second is still less. The 

 longest of the hind claws is the third ; the fourth is a little shorter, then the second, fifth, 

 and first. As far as discernible in the skin, the balls of the toes are naked, making five pads, 

 and there is a sixth under the metatarsus. The tail measures from one-third to one-fourth the 

 length of head and body ; it is very thick and densely bushy, with very long hairs, which are 

 shorter at the tip, thus imparting a subtruncate appearance. 



The hair is nearly as full and long as that of the black bear, the long staple is coarser, and 

 there is among its roots a good deal of rather coarse, wiry, crimped wool. 



The most prominent color is a dark purplish brown ; the tail, except at the base, the limbs, 

 and under parts generally, nearly black. The flanks, commencing behind the axilla? and pass 

 ing backwards over the base of the tail, are of a paler tint of chestnut brown, which gives rise, 

 laterally and posteriorly, to a light border to the dark color of the back. There is a grizzled 

 patch of mixed hoary and chestnut hairs passing from the central line of the forehead above 

 the eyes alonj the temples and a little obliquely to the ears. There is a tuft of white hairs on 

 each side of the neck, and another between the legs. 



Dimensions of No. 45. 



The specimen described above is unusually large, considerably exceeding those mentioned by 

 Audubon and Bachman and Richardson. It was brought to Fort Union from some of the posts 

 towards the Rocky Mountains. 



I have no European specimens before me for comparison, but the wolverine is now pretty gen 

 erally considered to be identical with the glutton of Europe. First described by Linnaeus as 

 Ursus guloy this specific name was lost when taken for a generic one. The name next in priority 

 was the Ursus luscus of Linnaeus, founded on a specimen brought from America. Should, there 

 fore, it become expedient to separate the Old and New World species, the name of Gvlo luscus 

 will remain for the American, the European receiving that of Gulo borealis or arcticus. 



The wolverine is confined, in North America, to the more boreal regions. Occasionally met 

 with in northern New York, it is more abundant further north. It is found at times in the 

 Black Hills of the Missouri, but it is most numerous in the Rocky Mountains and towards the 

 polar circle. The most southern locality known in the west is the basin of the Great Salt Lake. 



