MAMMALS OF XOETHERN CAXxYDA 20-3 



that even one will, in course of a single season, do an incred- 

 ible amount of damage. They are first-class experts in 

 persistently demolishing very extensive lines of deadfall, 

 marten, and other traps, as well as in hiding, eating, or other- 

 wise injuring the "animals found in them. They treat rabbits 

 and lynx caught in snares in a similar manner. They will 

 further breal<; up well-built caches of meat, fish, and sundries. 

 The wolverine is undoubtedly entitled to first place among 

 the destructive animals of Xorth America, and is also the 

 most detested of them all. 



FisHEE — Mustela pennanti (Erxleben). 



It is very seldom, indeed, that an example of this species 

 is found beyond latitude 62° north in the Mackenzie Eiver 

 region, or any other part of America. I never knew of any 

 being taken at Fort Simpson, while the very few skins 

 received there were trapped by Indians in the forest country 

 some distance to the south ; but on the upper Peace Kiver, 

 and in the country farther south, east, and west, on both 

 sides of the Kocky Mountains, the fisher is fairly numerous. 



The male and female are said to come together annually 

 in the months of February, March, or April, according to 

 locality, and the offspring vary between one and five in 

 number. They are born blind and helpless, but soon acquire 

 sight and strength. They nest in a hole in the ground. Some 

 say the male assists in rearing the young, but others deny 

 this assertion. They subsist on rabbits, fish, and mice. Mr. 

 Colin Thomson states that for winter consumption they pro- 

 vide quantities of " hips " in advance. 



It may be mentioned that from 1863 to 1883 Mackenzie 

 Eiver District traded the skins of 331 fishers. More than 

 three-fourths were obtained from Indians resorting to Fort 

 Eesolution who hunt to the south of Great Slave Lake, as 

 well as along the Slave Eiver, the balance coming from 

 natives belonging to Forts Simpson, Providence, Liard, Hal- 



