74 FLESH-EATERS 



THE FISHER, or PENNANT'S MARTEN/ is one of the largest 

 members of the Marten Family in America. It is a bold, 

 active tree-climber, an industrious hunter, an aggressive 

 fighter, and as a stealer of baits it is almost as great a nuisance 

 to trappers as the hated wolverine. With this animal, "all's 

 fish that cometh to net," and with equal relish it devours 

 dead fish, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, ground birds, snakes, 

 toads, arid frogs. Occasionally it murders its own cousin, the 

 pine marten, and even feeds upon the Canada porcupine. 



The Fisher is at home in the swamps or the rocky moun- 

 tainsides of northern New York, and in the forest regions of 

 North America generally from Maine and southern Labrador 

 to the Pacific coast. Northward it ranges to Great Slave 

 Lake and the Yukon River. In color it varies from glossy 

 black to dark brown, with occasional gray, or grayish white, 

 on head and neck, chin, chest, and abdomen. Its average 

 length is 23 + 14 inches. The young vary in number from 

 two to three. As a fur-bearer this is a rare animal, the total 

 annual catch for North America being only 10,000. 



THE WOLVERINE, or CARCAJOU, 2 is one of the most re- 

 markable animals in North America. It is about the size of 

 a full-grown bulldog, has a ravenous appetite, great strength, 

 a fierce temper, and the combined cunning of many genera- 

 tions of criminals. It is the greatest thief among animals, 

 and is such a greedy feeder that it is known to many as the 

 GLUTTON. It will follow a trapper's "line" of marten traps, 

 for miles, destroy every animal it finds in them, devour baits, 

 and sometimes steal the traps also. 



1 Mus-te'la pen'nant-i. 2 Gu'lo lus'cus. 



