454 
THE GLUTTON. 
under a projecting branch. It then lies 
down, crouched and motionless, waiting 
patiently for a deer to pass. The animal, 
not suspecting the neighbourhood of his 
enemy, stoops to smell the moss, thus leav¬ 
ing his neck unprotected by his horns. As 
quick as lightning the glutton drops from 
his perch upon the shoulders of the deer, 
where, holding on by its strong and sharp 
claws, it pierces the blood-vessels with its 
strong canine-teeth and there hangs till the 
poor animal falls exhausted. Should there 
be a deep stream or pond near at hand, the 
deer always takes to it, and thus dislodges 
his enemy, who has a great dread of water.” 
“Do you believe that story, aunt?” asked 
Annie. 
“It has been disputed by later travellers, 
I know,” replied her aunt. “ But, as Colonel 
Smith observes, they are those who have 
little or no direct knowledge of these ani¬ 
mals in woody regions, and reason from 
their habits in the open, stony tracts. The 
story is very generally believed by hunters 
vn America, in Siberia and Sweden; and I 
am inclined to imagine that it must have 
some foundation in truth. There is, to my 
