418 
WOLVERINE.' 
tiful lustre that can be imagined, and is preferred 
before all others, except that of the Siberian fox* 
or the sable. Among other peculiarities of this 
animal, Linnaeus informs us that it is very difficult 
to be skinned ; but from what cause, whether its 
abominable stench, or the skin's tenacity to the 
flesh, he has not thought fit to inform us. 
Pontoppidan was assured by a friend, a man of 
probity, that he had taken a glutton alive, a cir- 
cumstance which seldom takes place ; and when he 
was chained to a wall, his hunger drove him to 
attack even the stones and mortar . 
He is so strong an animal, that three stout grey- 
hounds are scarcely able to overcome him. One 
that was put into the water, had two dogs let loose 
at him. The glutton soon fixed his claws into the 
head of one of them, and had the sense to keep 
the animal under water till it was suffocated* 
When the glutton is attacked, he makes a stout 
resistance ; for he will tear even the stock from a 
gun with his teeth, or break the trap in pieces in 
which he is caught. He is, notwithstanding, ca- 
pable of being rendered tame, and of learning 
many entertaining tricks. 
Wolverine, 
Is considered by Shaw as a variety of the glutton* 
It is not uncommon in the northern regions of 
America. It resembles the wolf in size, and the 
glutton in the figure of its head. The upper parts 
and the belly are of a reddish brown ; the sides 
are yellowish brown ; and a band of this colour 
crosses the back near the tail, which is long and of 
a chesnut colour. The face is black. The legs 
are very strong, thick, short, and black ; and the 
soles of the feet are covered with hair. 
The pace of these animals very slow ;> but their 
