88 CARNIVORA. 



stances, towards black ; its head is something like that of the 

 polecat, hut broader, and indicates greater strength of jaw. The 

 nature of the Glutton is indicated by its name ; and its laniary 

 teeth evince its voracious and blood thirsty appetite. 



It is sometimes called the "Quadruped Vulture," from the 

 fact that it preys occasionally upon dead bodies of quadrupeds, 

 chiefly those which have been killed by accident. It is said, 

 these animals "do more damage to the fur trade than all other 

 animals conjointly. They follow the Marten hunter's path round 

 a line of traps, extending forty, fifty or sixty miles, and render 

 the whole unserviceable, merely to come at the baits, which are 

 generally the head of a partridge, or a bit of dried venison. 

 They are not fond of the Martens themselves ; but they never 

 fail to tear them in pieces, and bury them in snow at a consider- 

 able distance from the trap. Drifts of snow often conceal the 

 repositories thus made of the Martens, at the expense of the hunt- 

 er, in which case, they furnish a regale for the hungry fox, 

 whose sagacious nostril guides him unerringly to the spot, and 

 two or three foxes are often seen following the Wolverine for 

 this purpose." Perhaps these attendant foxes have given rise to 

 tlie roinurk that the Arctic Fox is the "Jackal or provider" of the 

 Glutton. 



The Glutton feeds upon meadow mice, marmots and other 

 rodentia, aad occasionally upon disabled quadrupeds of a larger 

 size. It resembles the bear, but is not as fleet ; is industrious, 

 feeds well, and is generally fat. It goes abroad much in the win- 

 ter, and the track of its journey in a single night, may often be 

 traced *0r miles. From the shortness of its legs, it moves with 

 difficulty through the loose snow. Sir John Richardson says 

 " the Wolverine is a great destroyer of beavers." It must, how- 

 ever, be only in summer, when these animals are at work, that 

 it can surprise them, for an attempt to break through their frozen 

 mud-walled hoiwe, would drive the beavers into the water, to 

 seek shelter in their vaults, on the borders of their dam. What- 

 ever the boldness of the Wolverine, in defending itself against 

 other quadrupeds, "it makes but a poor fight with a hunter, who 

 requires no other arms than a stick to kill it." 



This animal has two secretory organs, from which he, on oc- 

 casion, discharges a yellowish brown fluid that gives forth an 

 offensive odor. The female brings forth yearly from two to 

 four cubs, covered with a downy fur, of a pale cream color. 



The Wolverine remains through the winter, as far north as 

 70o 11' latitude, but does not change its color on account of the 

 intense cold. According to Lesson, it inhabits a complete circle 



