THE GLUTTON 



(Gulo luscus) 



THE Glutton is an animal of very wide distribution, being found all 

 round the world in the northern forests, and it enjoys quite a 

 number of aliases, of which " Wolverine " and " Carcajou " are the best 

 known. 



Although allied to the Weasels, it is, as the illustration shows, much 

 more like a Bear in form, although provided with a fair-sized bushy tail. 

 The claws are very strong and powerful, and the teeth also ; the latter 

 bear a strong likeness to the Hyaena's. The coat varies much in colour, 

 some individuals being much darker than that represented ; it is long 

 and thick, and well adapted to resist the cold of the sub-arctic regions 

 where the animal lives. 



The Glutton is not a very active animal, but his indomitable courage 

 and energy make up for this ; he will plod for miles through the frozen 

 forests, and, as he is a climber, sometimes lies in wait for his prey in a 

 tree. He spares no creature that he can overpower, and his strength is 

 such that even such large animals as the Reindeer fall victims to him ; 

 on this creature he is said to pounce from above. 



His appetite is large, though he is somewhat belied by the extrava- 

 gant fables which used to be told about his capacities for gormandising ; 

 and it is fortunate for him that, in addition to great strength, he is 

 endowed with unusual cunning. 



Indeed, this seems to be his great characteristic, and renders him the 

 determined enemy of other animals, and even indirectly of man himself. 

 He has a keen nose for other creatures' goods, and many a poor beast 

 which has carefully hidden the remains of its last meal finds, when it 

 comes back to eat these, that the Glutton has been beforehand and con- 

 sumed its little store. The robber takes good care not to be retaliated 

 upon, by indulging in its filthy practice of defiling what it cannot eat at 



Q 



