33 2 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



The fisher, black cat or pekan of the Canadians (Mustela pennantii) is one of 

 the most important of the weasels. It is a large, powerful black marten and 

 originally was thinly distributed from the Atlantic coast to the Cascade Mountains 

 close to the Pacific Coast, where it was supplanted by a closely allied species. It 

 extended formerly from timber line in the north well into the Alleghenies 

 of Pennsylvania. It would be interesting to know whether this animal was ever 

 abundant; but, if so, it felt at a very early period the effect of encroaching 

 civilization. In New York it was confined to the Adirondacks as early as 1842. 



In spite of its relatively large size it is extremely agile and active, and preys 

 largely on pine marten, which it captures in open chase. It is popularly supposed 

 to live on porcupines, but it is probable that the legend arose from the fact that in 

 the leg joints of one of the earliest specimens to find its way into the hands of the 

 naturalists were found embedded the quills of that animal. When pressed by 

 hunger the fisher undoubtedly will attack the porcupine, but under ordinary 

 circumstances it could get its food without such extreme danger and discomfort. 



The fisher is a sworn foe to the trapper, and will follow up and destroy his 

 line of traps with great persistence. In this last respect it has been remarked 

 that the fisher "is less objectionable than the wolverine, in that it leaves the traps 

 where it finds them, while the other blackleg lugs them off and hides them." 



Fishers are rare throughout the north, and are seldom seen in captivity, 

 although at present (June, 1905) several specimens are on exhibition in the National 

 Zoological Park, Washington, D. C, and one in the New York Zoological Park. 

 It is doubtful whether this animal can be restored to the Adirondacks, but it 

 would do no harm to protect the few that probably linger on in the remoter parts 

 of the wilderness. 



The Hudson Bay Company sold in London, in 1902, 3,679, and in 1903, 3,223 

 skins of this animal. 



Wolverine. 



The last of the true weasels is the wolverine (Gulo liiscus), improperly called 

 the glutton. This is the carcajou of the French Canadians, and is called by the 

 Ojibway Indians the "quingagee," or tough customer. The American type is 

 so closely related to the European form that it has not yet been described 

 as a separate species, although it would undoubtedly prove to be such on close 

 investigation. 



The wolverine was originally supposed to be one of the bears, but further 

 investigation proved it to be nothing more than a gigantic weasel. It is one of 



