THE WOLVERENE. 



Wolverene divides its flefh carefully, and hides it in the earth, to preferve it 

 from being eaten by any other creature; and never eats a bellyful before he 

 has done this (a). 



Though the Wolverene, in his native wilds, exhibits fuch a degree of 

 fiercenefs and barbarity, as to become a terror to the Wolf and the Bear; in a 

 ftate of confinement, he difcovers a confiderable fhare of gentlenefs and 

 docility. M. Buffon had one in his pofTerlion, which, he fays, was tolerably 

 gentle in his nature- but in a great meafure retained its voracity, and would 

 eat above four pounds of raw flefh daily, devouring it fo greedily, that it 

 fcarcely appeared to chew it. 



There is an animal of this fpecies, now in the polTeflion of the Hudfon's 

 Bay Company, at their houfe in Fenchurch Street, London, from which, by 

 permiflion, the annexed portrait was taken, which agrees with BufFon's 

 experience with regard to gentlenefs of nature; but, refpe&ing appetite, 

 feems eflentially different; his keeper aiferting, that he is fatisfled with lefs 

 than will ferve an ordinary MaftifF, though the animal is remarkably healthful 

 and vigorous. 



Without diflenting from the experience of fo great a naturalift as Buffon, 

 we cannot reconcile this feeming contradiction any other way than by 

 analogy; for, as in the human kind, there are great diverfities of conftitution 

 and appetite; the brute creation, agreeably to the conformation of their parts, 

 mull experience the fame variety. 



Dr. Grieve fays, they are ealily tamed, and capable of being taught feveral 

 tricks; but perhaps, they are not exactly alike in all countries. 



The natives of Kamtfchatka hold the fur of this animal in fuch high 

 eftimation, that when they wilh to defcribe a man moll richly attired, they 

 fay, he is clothed in the fur of the Glutton (b). The women adorn their 

 hair with the white paws of this animal, which they conlider as highly 

 ornamental. It appears, however, that they kill but few of them, as they 

 import fome of them from Jakutfki at a very high price. They fet the higher! 

 value on the whiter! and yellower! furs, although thefe are reckoned inferior 



(a) G neve's Kamtschatka. (b) Grieve. 



