356 Fietp Museum or Natura History — Zoé.oey, Vor. XI. 
a shot upon the unsuspecting Elk, Moose, Reindeer, and fastening with 
claws and teeth, sucks the blood and destroys them as they run. That 
nothing may be left undone to ensure success, the animal has the wit to 
throw down moss or lichens to attract its prey, and to employ the 
friendly services of Foxes to drive the quarry beneath the fatal spot. 
I allude to these things, not that such gross exaggerations longer require 
refutation, but because they are a part, and no inconsiderable one, of 
the history of the species; and because, as we shall see in the sequel, a 
perfectly temperate and truthful narration of the creature’s actual 
habits, sufficiently attest the possession of really remarkable qualities, 
which need be but caricatured for transformation into just such fables.’’* 
To still further enhance this animal’s reputation for eccentricity 
Linnzus bestowed upon it the name luscus, which might not unreason- 
ably be supposed to imply that it was a kind of quadruped Cyclops.t 
There is no doubt that the Wolverine is an unusually strong, savage 
and sagacious animal, as has time and again unquestionably been 
proved. In localities where they are common, hunters find difficulty 
in making a “‘cache”’ of supplies which cannot be found and destroyed 
by these animals. Dr. Coues cites a case where a Wolverine has been 
known to gnaw through a log nearly a foot in diameter and also to dig 
a hole several feet deep in frozen ground to gain access to the coveted 
supply. The same author also says: ‘“‘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 successively 
to pieces, and taking out the baits from behind. When they can eat 
no more, they continue to steal the baits and cache them. If hungry, 
they may devour two or three of the Martens they find captured, the 
remainder being carried off and hidden in the snow at a considerable 
distance. The work of demolition goes on as fast as the traps can be 
renewed.”’ : 
“The propensity to steal and hide things is one of the strongest 
traits of the Wolverine. To such an extent is it developed that the 
animal will often secrete articles of no possible use to itself. Besides 
the wanton destruction of Marten traps, it will carry off the sticks and 
hide them at a distance, apparently in sheer malice.” (J. ¢., p. 51.) 
Ross says: “The desire for accumulating property seems so deeply 
* Fur-bearing Animals, 1877, p. 44. 
tIt is far from probable that the great naturalist intended to convey any such 
meaning, although we havea similar misnomer in that of the Great Bird of Paradise 
(P. apoda) described by the same author and so named for the reason that the first 
skins of the species received in Europe lacked feet. 
