348 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



passed, if not unequalled, in the animal kingdom. This 

 may be shown by the two following quotations from the 

 statements of trustworthy writers. The first is a letter 

 kindly sent me by Dr. J. Eae, F.K.S., in reply to my 

 request for information concerning the intelligence of this 

 animal : — 



The narratives of most travellers in America tell wonderful 

 stories of the glutton or wolverine, but I do not know that any 

 of my experiences of this extremely acute animal indicate what 

 I call reasoning powers. They are very suspicious, and can 

 seldom or never be taken with poisoned bait, trap, or gun. The 

 poisoned baits are usually found broken up, but not eaten by 

 them ; traps are destroyed or entered, but not where the trapper 

 desu-ed; and guns, except when concealed after the Eskimo 

 fashion by a covering of snow, are avoided. 



In 1853, on the Arctic coast, when about to change our 

 domicile from a tent to the warmer snow hut, my man had 

 carried over about 100 lbs. or more of fine venison steaks to 

 the snow houses about a quarter of a mile from our tents ; and 

 as there were at the time no traces either of foxes, wolves, or 

 wolverines about, the meat was placed overnight in one of the 

 huts, and the door left open. During the night two wolverines 

 came, but, evidently dreading some trap or danger in the open 

 door, would not enter that way, but cut a hole for themselves 

 through the wall of the snow hut, and carried off all our fine 

 steaks, a considerable quantity of which was picked up close 

 to our house when the thaw took place in the spring, it having 

 been hid in the snow, but completely spoilt for use, by a well- 

 known filthy habit. 



Dr. Eae has also drawn my attention to the following 

 account contained in the Miscellaneous Publications of the 

 Geological Survey of the United States.^ The writer of 

 this account is Captain Elliot Cones :— 



To the trapper the wolverines are equally annoying. When 

 they have discovered a line of marten traps they will never 

 abandon the road, and must be killed before the trapping can 

 be successfully carried on. Beginning at one end, they proceed 

 from trap to trap along the whole line, pulling them succes- 

 sively to pieces, and taking out the baits from behind. When 

 they can eat no more, they continue to steal the baits and cache 



' Vol. viii., Washington, 1877 : 'A Monograph of the North Ameri- 

 can Mustelida.' 



