494 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



other far-reaching odor wlien used as a lure. The surviv- 

 ors in each district somehow learn to associate the death of 

 their congeners with the thing habitually used to destroy, 

 and thus become world- wise in a degree highly distressing 

 to the trapi)ers. When ordinarj^ means have failed, a 

 quadrangular trap of heavy logs, having the appearance of 

 a cache, will usually succeed. In these contrivances the 

 bait is buried or concealed, and steel-traps covered with 

 snow or leaves often placed therein. Touching this, I quote 

 from Mr. De Graff's letter: 



''I caught a troublesome Carcajou that winter in this 

 way: 1 scoured a heavy steel- trap, and set it, and then 

 hung it in a tree until the odor from handling it had disap- 

 peared. Then I dug away the snow, and piled it in a hard 

 bank around the spot. The bait was put in one comer, and 

 the traj), by the use of a stick, in the center. Then I cov- 

 ered them over, and laid small logs across the top of the 

 bank, on top of which I piled snow and rubbish two feet 

 deep. It worked like a charm, dnd I got the beast the first 

 time I made my rounds.' 



That my readers may know why the Wolverine is re- 

 garded by many as an " insatiable glutton, a blood-thirsty 

 demon, and a prowling monster," I will quote briefly from 

 some attractive but not wholly reliable works at hand — 

 such as were often given us in boyhood by well-meaning 

 parents or friends. 



"The Glutton," says Mr. Lloyd, "approaches his prey 

 with caution, crawling toward it till within a short distance, 

 and then, with a few sudden springs, pounces u^^on it. He 

 is very destructive to the wild Reindeer, x^articularly in the 

 winter; for when these animals are necessitated partially to 

 bury their heads in the snow, for the purpose of getting 

 lichens and other vegetable substances lying below, he is 

 enabled to approach them with facility. When once seized 

 by the blood-thirsty beast, it is in vain that the wounded 

 Deer endeavors to disengage itself from its enemy by rush- 

 ing among the surrounding trees; no force can oblige him 

 to quit his hold; he maintains his position, and continues 



