WOLVERINE. 
349 
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 demoli- 
tion goes on as fast as the traps can be renewed. 
The propensity to steal and hide things is one of the strong- 
est 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. Mr. Ross, in the article above quoted, has 
given an amusing instance of the extreme ot this propensity. 
The desire for accumulating property seems so deeply implanted 
in this animal, that, like tame ravens, it does not appear to care 
much what it steals so that it can exercise its favourite propen- 
sity to commit mischief. An instance occurred within my own 
knowledge, in which a hunter and his family having left their 
lodge unguarded during their absence, on their return found 
it completely gutted — the walls were there, but nothing else. 
Blankets, guns, kettles, axes, cans, knives, and all the other 
paraphernalia of a trapper’s tent had vanished, and the tracks 
left by the beast showed who bad been the thief. The family 
set to work, and by carefully following up all his paths re- 
covered, with some trifling exceptions, the whole of the lost 
property. 
****** 
At Peel’s River, on one occasion, a very old carcajou dis- 
covered my marten road, on which I had nearly a hundred and 
fifty traps. I was in the habit of visiting the line about once a 
fortnight, but the beast fell into the way of coming oftener 
than I did, to my great annoyance and vexation. I deter- 
mined to put a stop to his thieving and his life together, cost 
what it might. So I made six strong traps at as many different 
points, and also set three steel traps. For three weeks I tried 
my best to catch the beast without success ; and my worst 
enemy would allow that 1 am no green hand in these matters. 
The animal carefully avoided the traps set for his own benefit, 
and seemed to be taking more delight than ever in demolishing 
my marten traps and eating the martens, scattering the poles 
in every direction, and caching what baits or martens he did 
not devour on the spot. As we had no poison in those days, I 
next set a gun on the bank of a little lake. The gun was con- 
cealed in some low bushes, but the bait was so placed that the 
carcajou must see it on his way up the bank. I blockaded my 
path to the gun with a small pine tree, which completely hid 
