204 The Mammals of Colorado 
back; top of head grizzled ; face, muzzle, and chin brown; the throat 
in this specimen has a large white patch, but in another from the 
same locality there is but a small patch of white ; feet and underparts 
brown. 
Distribution. — The Wolverene is found from the Arctic Ocean south 
through British America to the northern border of the United States 
on the east. At one time it was found in the New England States 
and Northern New York, but has been exterminated in those 
localities. According to Rhoads there is also a single Pennsylvania 
record. It is possibly found in the northern peninsula of Michigan 
and in northern Minnesota. In the western United States they 
are found in the higher parts of the Rocky Mountains, in the Sierra 
Nevadas, and in the northern Coast ranges. In the Rocky Moun- 
tains it ranges through Colorado nearly if not into northern New 
Mexico. In Colorado it is found sparingly through the heavy 
forests in the high mountains, and has been recorded from Gunnison 
County (Warren); from Trappers' Lake, Garfield County (Cooper); 
from near Placerville, San Miguel County (Smith) ; and from 
Breckenridge, Summit County (Carter). 
Habits. — Wolverenes, also known in the north as Carcajou, 
are animals of very powerful build and of destructive habits. 
Their food consists of any animal they may be able to capture, 
dead animals are not despised, and they will take those 
that are caught in traps and devour them. Caches of 
provisions left by hunters, prospectors, or explorers are torn 
up, their contents eaten or destroyed. The Wolverene, 
in the north, often follows a line of traps, eating or hiding 
animals that may be caught, even such large ones as a lynx, 
tears up and hides or carries away the traps — in fact, destroys 
everything in its power. MacFarlane says : " The wolverene 
is undoubtedly entitled to first place among the destructive 
animals of North America, and is also the most detested 
of them all." He also says the rutting season is in March and 
April, and that the young are born about sixty days later, 
being from one to three in a litter, occasionally as many 
as five. 
The fur has considerable value, and is especially prized 
by the Eskimos for trimming their hoods. Preble says that 
