350 A JOURNEY TO THE 



know of in those parts, viz. bears of all sorts, wolves, wolve- 

 reens, foxes, martins, otters, wejacks, jackashes, skunks, and 

 ermines.'^ 

 The Jackash. Jackash.^ This animal is certainly no other than the lesser 



Otter of Canada, as its colour, size, and manner of life entirely 

 correspond with the description of that animal in Mr. Pen- 

 nant's Arctic Zoology. They, like the larger Otter, are 

 frequently found in Winter several miles from any water, 

 and are often caught in traps built for martins. They are 

 supposed to prey on mice and partridges, the same as the 

 martin; but when by the side of rivers or [377] creeks, they 

 generally feed on fish. They vary so much in size and colour, 

 that it was very easy for Mr. Pennant to have mistaken the 

 specimen sent home for another animal. They are the easiest 

 to tame and domesticate of any animal I know, except a large 

 species of field-mice, called the Hair-tailed Mouse ; for in a 

 very short time they are so fond, that it is scarcely possible to 

 keep them from climbing up one's legs and body, and they 

 never feel themselves happier than when sitting on the 

 shoulder; but when angry, or frightened, (like the skunk,) 

 they emit a very disagreeable smell. They sleep very much 

 in the day, but prowl about and feed in the night ; they are 

 very fierce when at their meals, not suffering those to 

 whom they are most attached to take it from them. I have 

 kept several of them, but their over-fondness made them 

 troublesome, as they were always in the way ; and their 

 so frequently emitting a disagreeable smell, rendered them 

 quite disgusting. 



* The Otter is very fond of play ; and one of their favourite pastimes is, 

 to get on a high ridge of snow, bend their fore-feet backward, and slide down 

 the side of it, sometimes to the distance of twenty yards. 



[^ Lutrcola visoft lacustris (Preble, North Am. Fauna, No. 22, p. 66, 1902). 

 This race differs from the typical race of Eastern Canada in its larger size and 

 some minor cranial characters. It inhabits the region west of Hudson Bay, 

 north to the limit of trees.] 



