ORDER CARNIVORA: CARNIVORES 241 



In the Kuriles the Sable is threatened with destruction (Miyoshi. 

 in Skottsberg, 1934, p. 412) . 



Economics and conservation. The Sable has been very actively 

 hunted for several centuries. Its numbers are now much reduced, 

 and in only a few regions can it be said to be "not rare." Its range 

 also has been considerably reduced and has become discontinuous. 

 There has been shrinkage of the range at its western limits in Russia 

 and at its southern limits in western and southern Siberia. From 

 time to time hunting has been forbidden in the whole or in certain 

 parts of its range. These measures have given good results, and the 

 decrease in numbers has been halted for several years. In order to 

 obtain an increase, a closed season has been maintained on the 

 whole territory of the U. S. S. R. Several great reserves have been 

 created to afford protection to the Sable (Barguzinsk, Kronotski, 

 Sikhote-Alin, Kondo-Sosva) . Successful propagation has been car- 

 ried out, and several "sovkhoz" have been specially created for 

 sable-farming. (W. G. Heptner, in litt., 1937.) 



In 1928 the entire Sable production of Asia was 15,000. In 1929-30 

 the yield in that part of eastern Siberia bordering Manchuria was 

 1,925 skins (Kuntze, 1932, p. 47). 



Wolverine; Glutton. Glouton arctique (Fr.) Vielfrass (Ger.) 



GULO GULO (Linnaeus) 



[Mustela] gulo Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 45, 1758. (Lapland.) 

 FIGS.: Fitzinger, Bild.-Atlas, Saugth., fig. 70, 1860; Royal Nat. Hist., vol. 2, 



p. 71, fig., 1894; Zeitschr. fur Saugetierk., vol. 8, pi. 31, 1933; Oguev, 



1935, pi. 2. 



The range as well as the numbers of the Wolverine have become 

 reduced in northern Europe, but its status in northern Asia has 

 remained more satisfactory. 



The general form is heavy and badgerlike; fur long and dense; 

 tail bushy; general color a rich dark brown, becoming blackish on 

 legs, feet, and tail ; a broad light brownish or yellowish band across 

 rump and upper side of basal part of tail, extending forward to 

 shoulders, where it gradually disappears; a cream-buff area across 

 the head between ears and eyes. Head and body, 825 mm.; tail, 

 125 mm. (pencil, 75). (Chiefly from Miller, 1912, pp. 434-440.) 



"In prehistoric times, the wolverine was found in England, and 

 indeed ranged as far south as the Pyrenees" (Lydekker, 1901, 

 p. 112). 



Its recent range is given by Miller (1912, p. 434) as the "northern 



forests of the Old World; in Europe, confined to Scandinavia and 



northern Russia." It is stated by Trouessart (1910, p. 71) a little 



more fully: "Circumpolar Europe (but not the islands north of the 



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