442 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



FUR ANIMALS. 



Haunts, Habits, and Mode of capturing the Wolverene, Mink, Fisher, 

 Marten, Ermine, Musk-rat, Skunk, Badger, Land and Sea Otter, Fur- 

 seal, Beaver, and Showtl. An Unpleasant Adventure while after Fur- 

 seals. Enormous Destruction of Fur Animals. Latest Statistics. 



ALTHOUGH the greater number of the animals known by 

 this name in the West are not game, in the ordinary sense 

 of the word, yet they form so important an article in the 

 commercial world, and are sought after so much by some 

 sportsmen, that I have assumed that a little information 

 about them might be acceptable to those who wished to 

 trap them, or to shoot a few for the purpose of making a 

 robe or a mat. Another reason for introducing them, is, 

 that some of them are comparatively little known to the 

 general reader, and that they possess characteristics which 

 make them interesting to those who have a taste for natu- 

 ral history. 



As all the Mustelidce are known as fur animals, I men- 

 tion them first, and place at their head the wolverene (G-ulo 



TUB WOLVERENE. 



luscus), whose mythical qualities have made it famous 

 among hunters and trappers, and even caused grave nat- 

 uralists to endow it with characteristics it never possessed. 



