ON THE MAMMALIA OF THIS DISTRICT. 225 



appear to come further south on the Norwegian 

 fells than the tame reindeer) the glutton is also 

 found. No northern beast of prey, for its size, 

 can compare to the glutton in voracity, and 

 nothing appears to come amiss in the way of food 

 reindeer, goats, hares, lemming, ptarmigan, and 

 offal, and even fish and reptiles ; and perhaps no 

 wild animal is more dreaded by the Laps, for it 

 can climb like a cat, and will even steal the pro- 

 visions which the Laps leave in the autumn on 

 the fells, in a box set on a high pole, for the 

 next spring. 4 The glutton is a handsome animal, 

 and sometimes you see a perfectly black skin, 

 which is very dear. The spor of the glutton in the 

 snow is nearly as large as that of a bear. Of course, 

 like all other northern skins, the winter skin of 

 the glutton is more handsome than that of summer. 

 The wolf (Canis lupus, Lin. ; " varg.," Sw.). 

 I had always fancied that these northern forests 

 and fells were overrun with wolves, and that it 

 would hardly be safe to wander alone in this wild 

 country ; but, strange to say, they do not appear 

 to be more numerous here than in Wermland or 

 Dalecarlia. I am at a loss to account for the 

 scarcity of so shy and prolific an animal in a 

 country so well suited to its habits, and one 

 affording so good a supply of food. It is true 

 that "war to the knife" is the Lap's motto, as 



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