THE WOLVERINE AND SKUNK 



31 



The Wolverine, or Carcajou, 1 is one of the 



most remarkable animals in North America. 

 It is about the size of a full-grown bull-dog, has 

 a ravenous appetite, great strength, a fierce tem- 

 per, and the combined cunning of many genera- 

 tions of criminals. It is the greatest thief 

 amongst 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, 



the Skunk-Bear, and in Washington the Indians 

 call it the Mountain Devil. It inhabits the 

 northern Cascades and the Rocky Mountain 

 region of the United States as far south as Great 

 Salt Lake, and the whole of arctic and subarctic 

 America to the northern limit of trees. It is 

 especially abundant on the Kuskowim River, 

 Alaska. Its length is 32 x 10 inches. 



The Skunks form a large group, widely dis- 

 tributed, but all the species, however much they 



COMMON SKUNK. 



devour baits, and sometimes steal the traps 

 also. 



It breaks open caches, raids cabins, and sys- 

 tematically destroys everything it encounters. 

 It is the only animal living which maliciously 

 and deliberately destroys property, and soils 

 food which it can neither eat nor carry away. 

 It steals articles which it cannot possibly use, 

 and more than once has been known to strip 

 a cabin of nearly its entire contents. 



In form this animal resembles a cross between 

 a badger and a bear. In Wyoming it is called 

 1 Gu'lo lus'cus. 



LITTLE SPOTTED SKUNK. 



differ in size or color, are arranged in three 

 genera. 



The Common Skunk, 1 of which nine spemies 

 are recognized, is very well known, chiefly be- 

 cause of its powerful odor, its wide distribution, 

 and its very conspicuous jet-black color, divided 

 on the back by one or two broad bands of 

 white. 



This type of skunk is practically confined to 



the United States and Mexico, and is most 



abundant in the North. The very offensive 



fluid which constitutes its defence against all 



1 Meph'i-tis. 



