Animal Guide North America

IRLFSMSfllIMALGUIDENORTH AMERICANWILD ANIMALSANIMALGUIDENorthAmericanWildAnimalsANIMALGUIDENORTH AMERICANWILD ANIMALSBYCHAS. K. REEDWithSixty SpeciesofAnimalsin Natural Colors fromOriginal'PaintingsByHARRYF. HAftVFY'1915CHAS. K.REED,WORCESTER,MASS.LCopyright,1915CHAS.K. REEDINTRODUCTIONIt is now nineyearssince the firstpublicationof our ''BirdGuide." After which followed the "FlowerGuide,""Water andGameBirds,""Western Bird Guide" and "Tree Guide." All ofthese havemetwithpopularfavorand havebeenadoptedinmanyschools andcollegesas the standard text books for field workamongthe instructors and students.Duringthisperiodwe havehadmany requestsfrom allpartsof thecountryfor other addi-tions to this set ofbooks,to be inpocketsize andwithCOLOREDILLUSTRATIONS. As a book on animals has been the mostfrequentlycalledfor,wedecided topurchasea set ofpaintings bytheartistHarryF.Harvey,coveringthegreatestnumberofspecies.Thesewehave hadreproduced bythe latest and bestmethod,andthe results are shown in this book.357368Ourhopeis that it will meet with the favor andapprovalofthoseii&e|r&tedin this-subject,as well as our formerguideshavedone.Theillustrations showhowthe animals look in their native en-vironments,and in the text wehave tried togivean idea of theirmoreprominentcharacteristicsandgeneralhabits.Onereallycannotgooutwith thisbook,as with the birds andflowers,andmakeastudyof theanimals,as so few of themare tobeseen,especially duringtheday.If weconsultanyDictionaryorEncyclopediawefind, generally,thenameandbriefdescription,withpossiblya small illustration inblack,of someEuropean specieswhich isvery misleading.These COLOREDILLUSTRATIONSare all ofNorthAmer-ican wildanimalsandwehopewill aid in the identification to thosewhoarelookingforhelp alongthis line.CHAS.K. REED.Worcester,Mass.,January,1915.NORTHAMERICANWILDANIMALSOfwhich the meat is usedforfood.Elk orWapitiArmadilloMoose MuskOxCaribouHares,all varietiesDeerof all kindsRabbits,all varietiesAntelopeorPronghornRaccoonMountainSheep OpossumMountainGoatSquirrelsBear,except early springManatee or Sea CowBuffalo or BisonPeccaryWoodchuckThere are several of the other animals which are made, use ofoncampingtrips,but itrequiresthe skill of anexperiencedcookaswell as agood appetiteto makethem desirable.FURBEARINGANIMALSNorth American.With thehighestmarketquotationfor first-class skins as listedJanuary 1,1915.BlackFox$1,500.00Black Bear$15.00Coyote $3.50SilverFox1,500.00Lynx12.00 Raccoon 3.00Polar Bear 100.00 MartenorSable 10.00 Skunk 3.00GrizzlyBear 75.00 Beaver 10.00 Wild Cat 2.50Otter 30.00 Red Fox 6.00GrayFox 2.50Cross Fox 25.00 Mink 5.00Badger1.25Wolverine 20.00 Wolf 4.00 Ermine 1.00Fisher 17.50 CivetCat .75 Muskrat .35Manyof these skins are soldbyfurriers under other namesafterbeingdyedblack orbrown,andwith several ofthemthelongoutside hair isplucked, leavingthe under fur like velvet whenfinished. ThemuskratwhenpluckedanddyedbecomestheHudsonSeal.HOOFED ANIMALS.FLESHEATERS.GNAWING ANIMALS.INSECTEATERS.WINGEDANIMALS.POUCHEDANIMALS.TOOTHLESSANIMALS.SEAANIMALS.Moose, elk, caribou, deer, buffalo,muskox,goats, sheep, antelope, pec-cary.Bears, raccoon,mountainlion, lynx,wildcat, ocelot, wolf, coyote,foxes,martens.Beaver, porcupine, squirrels,hares,rabbits, rats,mice.Shrews,moles,bats.Bats.Opossum.Armadillo.Whale,walrus,sealion, seal,manatee.9MOOSEAlces auiericanus.This is oneofthelargestof ourNorthAmericanwildanimals,and is also found over alargerarea thanmostof the deerfamily,being quitecommon from Newfoundland toAlaska,throughoutCanada,and the mostnortherlyof the United States.Theyare cumbersome and awkwardlooking,inheightat theshouldersupwardsof sixfeet,andnearlynine feet inlength.Theirhair isverycoarse andlong, especiallyon theupper partof theneck,and also below on thethroat,from whichhangsa hair-coveredcartilagecalled the bell. Thissometimes reaches thelengthofeighteen inches,butusuallyisonlyten or twelve incheslong.Alargemale willweighabout fifteen hundredpounds,and theflesh of these animals is consideredsuperiortoanyof the deerfamily.11Their skins are also in demand formakingsome of the hestgradesof leather. Whenproperlytanned it isvery pliableandwill outwear mostanyother leather. Their antlers areverymas-sive and of different form from others of the deer. At thepointtheybroaden out into a widepalm,fromwhich thepointsatveryirregularintervalsprojectfrom an inch inlengthto sometimesover a foot. Thetotalspreadof both antlers willvaryfrom threefeet to over sixfeet,and asingleantler from one has been foundto measure on the under curve from the skull to thelongest pointfive feet.Their ears arelargeandtheyareveryquickto detectanyun-usual sound. The nose islarge, beingmuch wider at the nostrilthan in themiddleof thehead,whichbringstheupper lipand nos-tril forward so that itoverhangsthe underlip.The skull bonesareverythick andsolid, makingwiththeimmenseantlers aweightwhich it would seem almostimpossiblefor them tocarryforany12greatdistance without rest. But their habitsprovethis to thecontrary,as when disturbed orfrightened, theywill rush off withenormousspeed,which can bekept upfor miles. With nosehighin theair andantlers laidback,fallenlogsandthroughthickwoodsdoes not seem toimpedetheir wild rush.They, duringthe sum-mer, months,feedaboutthe streamsandponds,ontheyoungshootsof waterplants,or forchangeof food will ride downsomeyoungtree from whichtheywill eat the leaves and tender branches.Like theelk, theywill wade into the water untilcovered,tokeepawayfromthe flies andmosquitoes.In wintertheyare to befound on thehigher grounds, amongtheevergreenswheretheyfeeduponthemoss andbark from the trees.ELKor WAPITICervus canadensis.Seeingalarge pairof antlers of thisanimal,onemight easilyform theopinionthat the animal was of immense size. If meas-ured,theirheightat the shoulder isonlyabout six feet and a halfand thelengthof the animal less thaneightfeet andweightaboutthree hundredpounds.Their antlersvary verymuch in size andthickness.They usuallyhave from six toeight pointson eachantler and these arelong enoughso that whenstandingon theirpointsa manmaywalkthroughthem. Of course this would beconsidered anexceptionally largeset.Theyshed these immenseantlers eachyearinearly spring,and the newgrowthisveryrapid, being verysoft andporousand covered with a soft velvetwhich remains on until the horns have their fullgrowthand be-15comehardened,whichusually requiresabout five months. Thisvelvet is then removedby rubbing againsttrees until it is entire-ly gone. Theyaregettingto beveryrare east of the Rockiesand areusuallyfound in small herds of a dozen or more orper-haps onlyapair.After thebreedingseasonthey congregateinlargeherds,sometimes in favorable localities to the number ofseveral hundred.Theydomostof theirfeedingin theearlymorn-ingandevening, remaining quiet duringthegreater partof theday.Their food consistslargelyof the leaves and tendertwigsof alarge varietyoftrees,or ofgrassand weeds. If disturbedthe bull elk willgiveout asharpwhistle ofwarningto the othersof theherd,and from that instanttheyare all on the lookout forany danger. Duringthe winter monthstheyfeed out in theopenmore ongrassandmosswhich shows above the snow.In the hottest weathertheyhave the same habits as the mooseofresortingto thepondsand rivers in whichtheywill stand with16onlytheheadabovewater. Thistheydotoprotectthemselvesfromflies andmosquitoes.The female will breed the thirdyear, givingbirth to one ortwoand sometimes three fawns. Thereare severalvarieties of the elk westof theRockies,fromNewMexicoto Ore-gon,thegreatestdifferencebeingin theircoloration,dueprobablymostlyto the climaticchange.Themorenorthern varietiesusuallyhavingheavierantlers,the hairlongerin winterand a little darkercolor.*>CARIBOURangifercaribou.Thisparticular representativeof the reindeerfamily rangesfromnorthernMainetoNewfoundland,whenceasomewhatsmallerspeciesextendsnorthto theArctic barrensandfrequentsthe coastsof Greenland. Bothgroupsalike aredistinguishedfrom others ofthe deerfamily bytheirantlers, always beingmore or lesspalma-ted,also the female as well as the male haveantlers,those of thefemalealwaysaremuchshorter and less in number ofpointsthanwith the male. One feature of them all is thespikeorpalmategrowthwhich branchesouthorizontallyabovethebrow, frequentlyto the end of thenose,and in the size of the antlers of themales,whichgenerallyarevery longandcurving,andhavingfromthirtytoasmanyassixtypointsontheprongsorpalms.Whenweseethe19greatsize of some of themwewonderhowtheycan begrowninso short atime,as the antlers are shed eachyear.The caribou livesuponthe mosses and lichens found in hisnative haunts of snow andice,but he is also fond of thesedgegrassin the marshes. To aid him inobtainingthis,nature hasfurnishedhimwithbroad, flat,clovenhoofs,whichbearhimequallywell over the soft fields of snow or theyieldingsurface ofmiryboggybottoms. He is one of the best oftravelers, gracefulandrapid,with hislong swinging stride,andprovingso tireless that itisimpossibletokeephis trail. His scent isverykeen and ifap-proachedmust not be with thewind,even if he can seeyouthereis a doubt in his mind whether to leave ornot,but not so if heonce has the wind in hisfavor,there is then no chance ofgettinghim.In size the woodland caribou is about six feetlongand fourhighat theshoulders,while hisweightwillvaryfromtwohundred20andfiftytothreehundredpounds.Aprovisionwonderfullyadaptedto the lowtemperatureat which he must maintain his existence isthe thickness of hiscovering, for, exceptthe muskox,no animalwears soheavya blanket. This iscomposedof a densewoollyun-derfur, throughwhichpenetratethelongcoarse outerhairs,de-signed especiallyto shed moisture and thuskeepthe underlayerdryandwarm.It is the custom of these deer to assemblesemi-annuallyinlargeherds andmigrate,with thechangeofseasons,to betterpro-vided or more shelteredfeeding grourTds. Owingto thegreatermildness of its usualrange,the southernspecieshas less need forso universal adeparture, althoughnotinfrequentlyseen injustsuch bodies and withjustsuch apurposein view. The flesh isdarkerthanthevenisonofmostdeerand is considered farsuperiorin flavor.21VIRGINIADEEROdocoileusvirginianus.East of the Rockies this is one of the most abundant of thefamily.Adultspecimensare a trifle over three feet inheightatthe shoulders andweighfrom one hundred andtwenty-fiveto twohundredpounds.Theirantlersvarygreatlyin sizeandshape,somespreadingverywideandthepointscurvinginward untiltheysome-timesnearlymeet,while others are morestraightand stand muchhigherabove the head.Theyalsovary verymuch in the numberofpointson theantlers,somehavingonly one,when it is called aspikehorn,othershavingasmanyastwenty.Fourpointsoneitherside is the usualnumber.Duringourcold winterweatherthe hairis ofamoregrayishcolorthan in the summermonths,and is muchlongerandmore brittle. These animals becomeverytame incap-23tivity,and in the wild state arebecominga nuisance to the farmerwho israising gardentruck oryoungfruit trees.Atthepresent writing (1915)thegamelaws of NewEnglandprotectthem,allowingthemto be shotonlyfor onemonth. Undertheseprotectinglawstheyarebecoming veryabundant and un-suspicious.It is not uncommon to see an albino(or purewhitedeer) duringthehuntingseason.Theyshed ordroptheir antlersduringtheearly summer,and have a newgrowth againwithinthreeor fourmonths. Thesenewantlers are coveredwithavelvetgrowthwhich remains on while the horns are in a soft orporouscondition,laterthis velvetbeingrubbedoffbythe deeron trees andbushes whilefeeding. Theyarevery quiet duringthe time whenthe newantlers aregrowingand remain in theheavytimber mostof the time. Thefemale,ordoe,does not haveantlers,and theyoung,orfawn,islighterin color andspotted. Theyare allverygracefulin theirmovements,theyoung especiallyso after a few24months old.Theyhave become so accustomed to thepresenceofman thattheyhave been known tostrayinto thecitystreets andtrotalongas iftheywere in their native elements. In such casesit isusuallysomedogthat will startle them andtheyare off in ahurry.In thewoods,awayfromcivilization,theyarealwaysonthe alert andlookingfordanger.If startled the buck willsignaldangerwith astampof hishoofs,a shrill whistle andthrowinguphistail,showinglike awhiteflag,he is off with hiscompanionsfora saferlocality.25(LMULEDEERor BLACK-TAILEDOdocoileus hemionus.The muledeer,so called from its enormousears, rangesthroughouttheRockyMountainregionsand as far east as Mani-toba and Texas. It is at once ourlargestand moststately repre-sentative of itsfamily, measuringbetween six and seven feet inlength, standingoverthree feethigh, weighingtwohundredpoundsormore,andcarrying highin the air itsproudhead adorned withmany-branched antlers,thepointsof which areusually longerandmorepointedthan the easternvariety,alsohavingmore in num-ber, rarelyless thaneight.This member of the deergroupis also known as the "black-tailed" because thetail,which is naked at thebase,then coveredforsomeincheswithwhitehair,istippedwithblack at theend,but27the nameappliesmoretrulyto a Pacific Coastvarietyand wouldbetter be reserved for that alone. A third titlebywhich it isdesignatedis morefitting, beingthat of the"jumpingdeer1'andhavingreference to thepeculiar gait.It does notgallop,as doesitsVirginian cousin,butprogresses bya series ofleaps, springingupwardwith aquick jerky bound,propellingitself intospaceforsomedistanceandlandingonall fourfeet atonce. Itcoversgroundat asurprisinglyswiftpace,with this curiousmotion, althoughpos-siblyless able to maintain itsspeedfor aslonga time as do someof his kin.Inspiteofanysuchhandicap, however,andrelying uponhispalereddish coat in summerwith thechangeto steelgrayin win-ter tohelpconceal hiswhereabouts,the mule deer is a fearlesswanderer. Whether in thebadlands,amongthe foot-hills in thedeepcanyonsof riverbeds, highupon thelofty plateaus,or in thesloping valleys alongthe mountainside,he shows asecurityof28footingandboldness that reminds us of thebighorn.Like the lat-ter, too,he is often hunted for the excellenteatingwhich he af-fords,and still more for thetrophyof his handsome antlers. Thechase furnishes muchdiversion,as itusuallyleadsthroughcoun-tryof wildbeautyandmuchvarietyofsceneryand has as its ob-jectan animalgiftedwith keen senses and native shrewdness suf-ficient tomakethepursuit sportsmanlikein the extreme.Onlytoopopularhas itprovedandto-dayweare ingravedangerofpayingfor it apricewecan ill afford;namely,the extinction of auniqueandgracefulcreature whichmighthaveyieldedbothpleasureandprofitfarlonger,had it beenadequately protected. Especiallyun-fortunate is this result since the victim is onewhosechosen hauntspreclude injuryto man from hispresenceand also render it diffi-cult topreservehim incaptivityin climatic conditions other thanthose towhichhe hasbecomeaccustomed.29BUFFALOor BISONBison bison.Thismagnificentanimal,who once roamedbythe millionsover one-third of NorthAmerica,from the Great Slave Lake tonorthernMexico,and from the westernslopesof theAppalachianstoNevada,has now less than seven hundred wildrepresentativesin onesingle,desolatespotsouthwestof the Great Slave Lake. Incaptivity perhapsone thousandmaystill befound,of which thelargestherd,containingover one hundredhead,is in the BlueMountain Park in NewHampshire,less thanfiftyin the once fa-mous Yellowstone Parkpreserve,and the rest scattered inprivatecollections,zoological gardens,etc.This wholesale diminution of their number furnishes an un-paralleledillustration both of man'sthoughtlessavarice and of the31truth that mere size andstrength, unaccompanied by intelligence,are insufficient topreventextinction in the animalkingdom.Whenhemighthave overwhelmed hisenemy byhis massalone,thisdull-witted beast ofttimespreferredto standidly byand,in stolidignorance,watchtheslaughterthat was to meanthe exterminationof his kind. Oneuniquefactor inhasteningthe final result wasthecompletionof theUnionPacificRailwayin 1869. This dividedthe mainbodyof the buffalofamilyinto a northern and a south-erngroup,destinedagainnever to be reunited. At the sametime,by furnishingbetter means oftransportation,it stimulated the de-mandfor thehighly prizedflesh andhides andthusprovedof two-foldimportanceinincreasingtherapidityof destruction.Both in size andgeneral appearancethisbigcreature wouldseemmorethantheequalofanyotherof ourhoofed animals. Hestands over five feet from theground,measures some ten feet inlength,andweighsalmost a ton. His bulkiness is further in-32creasedbytheshaggyhairwhich,thoughshortandlightonthebackpartof hisbody,forms a dense mat of dark brownover thehighhump,shoulders andfore-legs,while the head is bowed downbytheweightof theheavyfrontlet and thick beard.Hugeherdsof these enormousbeasts, numberinghundreds of thousandseach,werewontto live onthe richpasturageof thegreatwesternplains.There,toprotectthemselves from flies and otherpests, they prac-ticed thepeculiardefense ofwallowingin thedamp swamplandsuntil thebodywascovered with a coat of mudwhich,whendried,would serve as an armor formany days.These "wallows" arestill to be foundwhereeveryother evidence of their former occu-pantshaslongsincepassed away.Inautumn,whole tribes wouldmigrate southward, followingwell-established trails andtravelingmuch faster than their awkward frames would cause one tosuppose.MUSKOXOvibos uioschatus.From thesixty-first paralleloflatitude,north as far as landextends,are to be found the last survivors of afamilywhich,asfossilized remains tellus,once roamedover North America. Howtheyekeoutan existenceon the limited fare of mossesand lichensobtainable in their haunts of ice and snow is an unsolvedproblem,buttheysomehowmanage,notonlytokeepalive,but toappearwell-nourished evenduringthe darkcoldness of winter. Thenameis dueto apeculiarmuskyscentwhichemanates fromthebodyandalso flavors the flesh;this taint is confined to themales,and inthem varies withageandcondition,beingleastobjectionablewhentheyarefat,andpracticallyabsent in theyoung;the immediate35dressingof the carcass is also apreventative,and when free fromthisunpleasantness,the meat is considered excellenteating.Few animalspresenta more odd andinteresting appearancethandoesthis rarenortherncreature. Thefirstthingtoimpressusis themagnificenthorns of the male. Thesemeet at the middle ofthe massive forehead in two flattenedbases,as wide as the entirewidth of thebrow, and,afterextendingdownward andslightlyoutward from the cheeks for a shortdistance,end in a decidedupwardand forward curve almost on a level with theeye.Thesehornsvaryinlengthfromtwenty-fourtotwenty-sixinchesand,in no animal save the mountainsheepare these features moreprominentandnoteworthy.Inheightthemuskox stands about fourfeet,inlengthmeas-ures some sixfeet,andweighs,on anaverage, approximatelyfourhundredpounds.Farlargerdoes helook, though,as he standswith hislong, shaggy,dark brownhair,mattedtightlyover his36shoulders,but elsewherefallingabout his frame almost to theground, nearly coveringthe shortlegs,andquite concealingthethree-inch tail. Under this thick blanket we shouldfind,were itnear the coldseason,aheavywarm underfur oflightercolor,throughwhichneither frost norsnow could find itsway.Althoughwe should notsuspect it,either from thelengthoflimborthegeneralstructureof thebody,heis bothquickandsure-footed. Apartial explanationis that each foot isequippedwith aninner andpointedhoofas well as an outerandroundedone,apro-visionwhichenableshimtomakerapidprogressover iceandamongthesteepandslipperyrockswherehedwells.37fMOUNTAINGOATOreauinos inontaniis.Curiouslylike thehugebuffalo ingeneral shapeis this moun-tainlovingcreaturewhodwellsamongthehighpeaksoftheRockiesandCascades,from Alaska toCalifornia,beingmostnumerous inBritish Columbia. There are in both animals theslopinghind-quarters, humpedshoulders andstocky legs ;also a like loweredpostureof thehead,with maneabove andhangingbeard beneath;but,while both have avery shaggy appearance,with this the com-parisonmustcease, for,instead of the dark brown of thebuffalo,this inhabitant of thesnowy heightswears an underfur ofyellow-ishwhite,concealedbyanoutercoat oflongwhitehair,which cor-respondswith the hueof hissurroundingsandprotectshimbyal-lowinghispresencetopassunnoticed.39Inmarkedcontrast to the whiteness of thebody,stand outthejetblackeyes, horns,and hoofs. The horns curve backward andaresharp-pointed,butshort,measuringonlyfrom five to teninches,while the hoofs are furnished with a rubberlike cushion on the in-side and a keenedgeon theoutside,tocarrytheir wearerequallywell over ice or rocks. Full use-does he make of this conveniencefor heprovesfalseevery suspicionof awkwardness foundeduponhisclumsyframe. No animal in all our land is moreadeptatclimbingor more fond of theapparentlyinaccessible than is he.The ascent andcrossingofperpendicularwalls is hispeculiarde-lightandhe never chooses a flat or smooth surface for his travelsif he canpossiblyfind asteeporroughone.This able climber indeed owes hispreservationandsafetynottosize,quicknessofmotion,orcleverness,butsolelyto the dif-ficultyanddangerof man'sattemptsto reach his native haunts.He isconsiderably largerthan a fullgrown sheep, measuringfour40feet inlength,three feet inheight,andweighingabout one hun-dredpounds,but he much resembles that animal inproverbialin-nocence. "Whatfun isthere,"onehunterasks,"inshootingdowna creaturewho,whenonce heknowsyouare afterhim, dodgesbe-hind a wall of rockand, pickinghiswaycalmlyacross its smoothandperfectlyverticalsurface,will look behindeverynow andagain,as ifteasing youto follow him?1'Inconsequenceof thislack ofsuspicion,he falls aneasy preyto the fewsportsmenwhohave sufficientpatienceand boldness once toapproachwithingun-shot.Themountaingoatlives onthe lichens foundabovethe timberlineand,unlikemostinhabitantsofthathigh zone,is seldom forcedinto thevalleys bywinter,preferringrather topick upascantyfarebypawingthesnowfromthelichens.41ROCKYMOUNTAINSHEEPOvis cervlna.This dwelleramongourhighmountainpeaksis alsoveryproperlyknownas the"bighorn"because of the size of thehorns,which,onthemale,curvebackwardandoutward for a distance ofover fourfeet,measuringon the outer curve of thehorn,some-timesmakingacomplete circle,andmeasureat the basemorethana foot in circumference. Theentirelengthof thebodyis notmuchgreaterthan that of thehorn,being onlyabout four and a halffeetlong,and hisheightis evenless,as he stands notquitethreeand a half feet fromtheground.Theaverageweightof a ram isabout four hundredpounds.The ewes are smaller inevery par-ticular,being onlythree feetlongandweighingone thirdless,andwithshort, flat,erecthorns, measuringbut five toeightinches.43The color is a darkgrayishbrownon theback, shadingto a whiteabout the tail and on the underparts,in winter the whole coat islighterthaninsummer,butthe olderramsuniformlyhave lessdeepcoloringthantheyoungerat all seasons.Whilenot found in ashighaltitudes as the mountaingoat, yetthebighornmakes his homethousands of feet above the sea level.There,amonginaccessiblecliffs,theyoungareborn,usuallybutoneatabirth,although occasionallytwoandfromthe first are ableto follow the motherand to aid in their ownprotection.For sub-sistence,the mountainsheepmustdepend uponthescanty grassandherbage,but in somemysterious way theyarealwaysable toremain sleek andwell-fed,evenduringthe wintersnows, althoughtheyseldomventuredowninto thevalleys. Amongtheir fastnessestheytravel inflocks,andwheneverthey stopto feedposta sentinelat whoseslightest warningofdanger theyareupandaway,overpeaks, along ravines,downcliffs, byamazeofpathsknownonlytothemselves. Indeedtheyseem topreferthemostdangerousroutesand the mostrugged crags,on the loftiestprojectionof which onesometimesmaybeseen,silhouettedagainsttheskylike a statue.Thanks to theirvigilanceandswiftness, theyare more than amatch for their wild enemiesand theirnumbermightsoon increasewere it not forman. Thehuntingof suchgameis too fine asportandthe hornstoohighlyprizedatrophytobeforegonelightly;buthis fleetness andsure-footedness,hisgraceof movement and ofposture,have made this noble creature such anobjectof admira-tion that noone willregretthatmanystates areprotectinghimbylawtopreventhis extinction.45WHITEMOUNTAINSHEEPOvis dalli.Of the seven varieties of mountainsheepfoundthroughoutthe westernpartof ourcountryfrom Alaska to northernMexico,none is more attractive than this inhabitant of Alaska and theYukonTerritory.In size it is smaller and more slender-bodiedthan thebighorn,and the horns are lessmagnificent,butanyin-feriorityis more than counterbalancedbyitsbeauty.Allthroughthe coldwinter,itscoveringis along, heavyblanket ofpurewhite,and,in apleasingcontrasttothis,stand out theamberyellowhornswhich,in most of thespecies, preservethe samepeculiarcurves asdo those of thebighorn.Clad in thisgarb,and its horns but re-flectingthesunlight,itsportsunobservedamid itssnowyrocks withquiteas muchsecurityas its southernneighborfeelsamonghis47nativepeaks.FromMaytoSeptember,its color does notreallychangebut becomes soshabby,as the fur is thinned forsummer,and so discoloredbydirt that the whole creature takes on a red-dishhue,and is little esteemed for itsappearance.Formerlyfar more abundant than atpresent,the decrease ofits numbers at last called forthenoughattention to demandlegalprotection,but the lawpassedhasprovedtoo lenient and morestringentmeasures must be taken if weare to save from extermi-nation thisuniqueanimal.Aninteresting peculiarityof someof thisspeciesis noticed inthehorns,whoseshapedifferaltogetherfrom thetypicalcircularhorn of the mountainsheep,astheystart from the forehead in amore outwardcurve, bendingdownwardbut still furtherout,andendingin anotheroutward,butupwardturn.Althoughthis sin-gularityis well worthnoting,these individualspresentno othermarks of distinction and are not classed as aseparate species.48BLACKMOUNTAINSHEEPOms stonei.Anotherspeciesdoesexist, however,which has notonlythespreadinghorns of thevariety just described,but also a differenceof color andrange, althoughmuch the same in size. This is theblackmountainsheepfounda little further south in British Colum-bia,near the Stickins River. Theupper partsof thebodyarebrown,sodarkincomparisonwiththe whitenessofthewhitemoun-tainsheepas tosuggestthe name black. In the southernportionof itsterritorythiscoloringis muchdarkerthan further north, butisalwaysinstrongcontrasttothepreceding.49ANTELOPEor PRONGHORNAntilocapraamericana.Onceranginginlargebands over all theopen plainswestoftheMississippi,fromsouthernCanadatoMexico,therenowsur-vivebuta fewscatteredremnantsof thefamilyofwhichthis NorthAmerican creature is the solerepresentative.Alone and unrelateditstands, and, althoughcalled anantelope,isdistinguishedfor-ever from the trueantelopesof the OldWorldbytheyearlyshed-dingof the horns as well asbytheprongswhichgrowout aboutmidwayof theirlength,while it isquiteasmarkedly separatedfrom the deer tribebythe hollow structure of these same horns.Therapiddiminution of its numbershasaroused sufficient sen-timent toprotectitbylaw in most localities andwemusthopethattheprecautionhas not been taken too late.Doubly necessarydoessuch actionappearwhen we consider that this distinctivespecies51thrivesonnonebut the selected fare of its nativeprairiesand thatit is almostimpossibleto bepreserved by breedingincaptivity.It is not alarge animal,standinga trifle less than three feethighandinlengthaboutfourfeet,withthestatelyheadbearing straightaloft the blackhorns,which are about a footlong,the stiff littlemane,theshapely ears,and the slender anddelicatelymoldedlegsallcontributingto agraceandbeautysurpassedbynootheranimal.Itscoloringoflightbrownabove and whiteunderneath,withthe bars of brown on the throat and the effective combination ofdarkandlighton the face add still further to thepleasing picture.Theoddpatchofwhite onthebodynearthe base of the tail has apeculiarfunction since the hairs of the surface can be made toassume an erectpositionat the same time that amuskyodor isgivenoff. Thisdisplay,doubtlessoriginallyintended as asignalorwarningto its ownkind,has oftenproveditsdangerbecause ofthe clew thus afforded of itswhereabouts,as thepronghorn trusts52largelyto his swiftness forsafety,and well hemay,for he is oneof the fleetest of all our animals and thisconspicuous spot betrayshis directionlongafter he wouldotherwise be out ofsight.Another source of trouble is hiscuriosity.Healwaysseekstoinvestigate anynewsightorquick motion,andadvantagehasfrequentlybeen made of this trait to lure him withinshootingdistance. Ifgivenachance, especiallythe females in defense oftheyoung, they prove ready antagonists, dealing sharpandbynomeans futile blows with theirrapidhoofs. Thekids, usuallytwoare born in thespringand remain with the mother untilearlyfall,when the bucksreturn,and all seek a warmer southern home forthe winter season.53PECCARYTayassuangulatum.Thepig-likepeccary,akin tothefamouswildboarofEuropeancountries,is found from Arkansas and Texas souththroughoutNorthAmerica. Hisbristlyhairs arebandedwithblackandwhite,givinghim agrizzled appearance,while theshort,erectears,theprominentmane,thelong fringeof hair beneaththe throat and thestripeofwhite, extendingfrombetween the shoulders downunderthe neck arenoteworthyfeatures of hisdescription.In size he isnot averyformidablefellow, standing onlya little more than afoot fromtheground, measuringthree feet inlengthandweighingaboutfifty pounds.Hemight easily, however,becomeadangerousfoe,as indeed are his kindred of SouthAmerica,bymeans of hispowerfultusks. Of these there are two in eachjaw, which,al-55though hardlyvisiblebeyondthelips,aredouble-edged, extremelysharp,and curved in such a manner as to becapableofinflictingmost serious wounds. Our northernspeciesseldom uses theseweaponsagainst largergamethanthereptilesandbirdsuponwhichhefeeds, seemingwhenattacked topreferescapeby flight,ifpossi-ble.Anold andexperiencedboarusuallyleads the small drove often or a dozenpeccariesin itswanderings throughthe forests insearch offruits, nuts, seeds, roots,etc. True to the establishedreputationofhogs,these wild members of the samefamilyaregreedyeaters and do notscrupletoappropriateto their own useanycropofgrain theymaybeluckyenoughto find in their rambles.They,atleast, partly payfor thetreat, however,bythelargenum-berofwormsandinsectstheymanageto consume. Foraresting-placethe droveusuallychooses some hollow in atree,orpossiblythedesertedburrowofanother animal. Into this retreattheyenter56in their ownfashion,eachbackingin as far as he cango,and thelast comermustkeep guardas sentinel at theopeningof the hole.Localitiesmuchfrequentedbythese oddcreaturesmaybe rec-ognizedas favorite hauntsbythe.strongandunpleasantodorpecu-liar to them. It is dueto aglandnear thetopof thehind-quartersand,if thepeccaryis killed foreatingpurposes,thisglandmustbeat onceremoved;otherwise the wholebodybecomes tainted. Theflesh of the females is considered better than that of themales,butatbestthemeatiswhollylackingin fatand is bothdryandinsipid.Althoughnot ratedamongwild animals aspossessingahighgradeofintelligence, yetthis small beast is able to hold his ownamongthe fierce inhabitants oftropicalthickets.57GRIZZLYBEARUrsus horribilis.TheLatinadjective"horribilis,"signifying"to bedreaded,"isvery fitly appliedto thishugeandpowerfulcreature whoownsnosuperior amongthe wild animalsand,althoughseldomattackingman,isveryquicktotakeoffenseand,whenonceontheaggressive,hasprovedmostformidable,asmanyapioneertale avouches.While in thoseearly daysnotuncommonlyfound from Alaska toMexico,atpresentit israrelyseen south of BritishColumbia,al-thoughit doubtless stillroamsaboutthe solitudes of secludedmoun-tain fastnesses. Ouraborigines gave testimonyto itsprowess bythewearingof necklaces made from theclaws,a form of adorn-ment reservedonlyfor the Indian brave able toslayagrizzlyandthus forever hold aplaceofundisputedhonor in the tribe. Ter-59rible, indeed,are theseclaws,measuringas much as five inchesinlength,andcurved forconvenience inholdingthepreywhile thepiercing sharpnesspenetratesfarwithin.Equally sharpandstrongare thekeen-edgedteeth and the massive forelimbspossesssuf-ficientmightto downmost of its victims with asingleblow.Nordo itsferocityand naturalweaponshave to makeupforany inferiorityofsize,since of all bears it is thelargest, havingalengthof from six toeight feet,agirthof about the same dimen-sions,andaweightof from six to ten hundredpounds.In itsgaititmaybeungainly, swingingitsbulkyframe fromside to side as itlopes alongat an awkwardpace,andseemingto beat timebytherollingmotion of:tsbighead, but,inspiteof allthis,itmanagestogetoverthegroundat averycreditable rate ofspeed.Neitherhas itanyfearofthewater,as it is anexcellentswimmer,andonlyintree-climbingdoes thisspecies,at least when fullgrown, proveless skilful than others of itsfamily.60While thetypical grizzlyis dull brown several varieties ofcoloringall thewayfrom brown to darkgrayhave beennoted,having,however,the commonpeculiaritythatmanyof the coarsewiryhairs aretippedwithsilverywhite toproducethegrizzledappearance suggestiveof the name.Truly strangehave been thechangessince this most terrible of beastsconfidentlyexacted itstribute from all four-footed dwellers in its nativewilds,not ex-ceptingthemammothbuffalo,whowas forcedwith the rest to fur-nish aregularshare of itssupport. To-daythisparticularvictimhaswholly disappearedand thelordly conquerorhas been forcedfurtherback,untilcompelledto eke out a humble existence onacorns,nuts,fruitsandberries,withtheadditionofoccasional smallgameas ameansubstitute fortheprizesthat wereonce his.61POLARBEARThalarctos maritlmus.Althoughnotinfrequentlymaroonedon adrifting icebergandso carried southmuchagainsthiswill,thepolarbear is at homeinthe far northwherethesilverywhite coat serves as his bestprotec-tion all theyearround. Abigbeautiful creature heis,standingoverfourfeethigh,measuringfromsevento nine feet inlengthandweighingfromeighthundred to fifteen hundredpounds.Hislongneck andshapelyhead add a certain stateliness to hisappearancewhile the broad flatpawsseem afitting supportfor the massiveframe.Largeasheis,his size detractsnotat all fromhisabilityasheisprobablythe fastest and mostenduringswimmer of all his kinand has thepeculiar powerofbeingable to make excellentprog-ress overthe ice floes of his native clime. Forthispurpose,naturehasequippedthe solesof hisbigfeetwithahairy pad,whichservesnot alone topreventhim fromslippingbut also as a warmblanketin his contact with the frozen surface.Thus, equallyat his ease on ice or in thewater,hemaybeseen,incompanywith hismateandthetwoor threecubs, huntingfor theclumsyseal orhugewalrus,which he will have little diffi-cultyinsecuringfor their meal. A favorite method of attackis,after oncespyingout theprey quiteoff itsguardon some distanticecake,toapproachbyalternateswimminganddivinguntil withineasyreach,when he willsuddenly appearfrom underneath thewater and cut off allhopeofescape.He is also often successfulintiltingthe cake at such ananglethat the unfortunateoccupantmustofnecessityfall off intohisvery jaws. Duringthe short Arc-tic summer a few berries or rootsmaybe a welcomechangeoffare, but,forthemostpart,anoccasional salmon orother fish must64suffice tovarythe usual diet. Onthejourneysforfood,thewholefamilymaymaketheirwayfromone sheet of ice to another untiltheyare far out at sea and sometimes carriedawayto unfamiliarshores,wheretheymustappeasetheirhunger byinvasionsamongdomestic flocks.Althoughusuallytimidandunaggressivebeingsin theirdealingswithman,the female with heryoungoftenprovesanexceptiontothe rule. Shehasgoodcause, however,for herirritabletemper,asthe cubsare born soon after shebeginsto hibernate and thespringfinds herthin,half-starved and with all a mother'sjealousyandfear for heroffspring.The male does nothibernate, but,afterseeinghis matesafely disposedof in the cleft rock or under theprojecting ledgewhich is to be her wintershelter,returns to hisordinaryduties of active life.65k1mBLACKBEARUrsits americamts.Formerlyhavingthe widestrangeandbeingthe bestknownofthe wholefamily,thistypicalAmericanbear stillpreserveshisspe-cies in thelargestnumbers andfrequents lonelymountain tractsandheavilytimbered forests north andsouth,from the Atlantic tothe Pacific coasts. Thisgoodfortune is duechiefly,however,to hiswholesome fear ofman,for valuable to the colonists for fat andflesh,mosthighly prizedof all was the beautiful fur. Unlike thecoveringof the otherbears,thispossessesanexceptionalsoftnessand smoothness oftexture,while theglossy jetblack adds a rich-nessequalto that ofmanyof thedistinctly fur-bearinganimals.This handsomecoloringmore thancompensatesfor hisinferiorityto thegrizzlyinsize, as shownbytheaverage lengthof but five67feet andthe difference inweight,as he isusuallyat least one hun-dredpounds lighter, maywell be sacrificed forgreater shapelinessand ease of motion.Fullyable to hold his own in aswimmingcontestwithhisbiggercousin,heexcels atclimbing,makinghiswayupanytree or outonanybranchstrong enoughto bear him.Indeedhemustoftenpracticethis method ofapproachto findhis favoritedainty,sincenothingis so toothsome to black Bruinas wildhoney.Toget it,he will notonlyscale almostanykindoftree,but will withstand thestingsof itsguardians,whilemakinganopening large enoughto admit hishuge paw,andfeelingmorethanrepaidfor histrouble,as he licks off thesweet, comb, honey,youngand all. Whilesome individual members of thisgroupmayalwayscrave animalfood,most of them arequitecontent with anabundance of berries andfruit, unless, however, they may gainaccess to apig-pen,as,withoutexception, theyareinordinatelyfond ofpork.Thejuicy sapofgrowingcorn furnishes another68pleasing changeofdiet,buttheyare ever cautious in theirtrespasswithin the bounds of cultivation.Althoughas a rulewatchful,rather thanaggressive, yet,ifonceon thewarpath, theyshow all of the naturalbraveryof theirtribeand,with theirpowerfulforepaws,can administer death-dealingblows inrapidsuccession. Such is their resistance to ordi-narywounds that aheart-penetratingrifle ball is theonlyeffectualmeans ofcompellingfinal surrender.Theinquisitive dispositionofthese creatureswasrecognizedasaproofofintelligence bythe Indians.Onlywith truecompunc-tion would heslayhis dumbquestionerand then'performedcer-tain rites to show hisgrieffor the dead and his esteem for thesurvivingkindred. It should be noted that the "Cinnamon" bearof the Rockies and west has not aseparate classification,as for-merly,but is abrownphaseof this samespecies.69RACCOONProcyonlotor.This clever andenterprisinganimal,familiarlyknown as the"coon" is foundthroughoutthe United States and in the westernpartof ourcountry,as far north as Alaska. Unlikemanyof ourwildcreatures,its numbers areincreasingeven nearthicklysettledlocalities and underapparentlyunfavorable conditions. Inlengthit measures aboutthirty inches, beingthick-set in form and ordi-narilyclumsyand deliberate in movement. Itscoveringconsists ofwhat wemightterm two coats;next to the skin is agray woollyfurthroughwhichprojects longerhairs of a mixedgrayandblackcolor; these twolayers togetherform such a thickprotectionthatit isnecessaryfor the wearer to hibernateonly duringthe mostextreme cold weather. The short,bushytail is agrayishwhite,71conspicuouslymarked withringsof black. Thegeneraleffect ofthe variedcoloringof the raccoon isveryhandsome and its furis much used fordriving garments, carriagerobes and the like.The Latin title "lotor'' means "a washer" and has referenceto one of thepeculiarcustoms of thisanimal; namely,that ofalways washinghisfood,especially meat, by thoroughly sousingitupanddownin water. Heoften chooses togohungryratherthandine without thisceremonyand is not content unless allowed toperformit for himself. In order toindulgeit moreconveniently,heprefershis homein a hollow tree to be situated near apondorstream. As for hisdiet,itmaybe said to includeeverythingthatcomes in hisway,andcomprises vegetables, fish, fowl,or meat.Green corn is a favoritedelicacy,whilepreyfrom aneighboringhen-roost,oroystersclawed from the mudat low tide arealwayswelcome additions to his fare. Heis,infact,one of our mostomnivorous eaters and is as fond of drink as offood,evenbeing72atipplerof fermentedliquor,if hebut hasthechance. Mostof hisforagingis done atnightand it is then that hemaybesurprisedandtrapped,or chasedbyagood"coondog"until forced to takerefugein a tree from which thesportsman easily dislodgeshim.Coonsuppersare apopular feastingfrolic inmanyplaceswhereheis hunted and the flesh is both tender and toothsome.In the south the raccoon is held inhigh favor,and whereverhe is known hisamusingandinquisitivenature makes him an en-tertaining captive,while because of his affectionatedispositionandretentivememoryhemaybereadilytrained as a mostexcellentpet.THE CIVET CAT(Bassariscusastutusfluvus),foundonlyinthe extremesouthwest,is about the samelengthas theraccoon,andtheonlyotheranimalhavinga tail bandedblackandwhite.73MOUNTAINLIONorCOUGARFeliscouguar.This animal called"cougar''from an abbreviation of itsSouth American name and known as mountain lion from its uni-formbrownishdrabcolor,as"puma"andpantherfromitsleopard-likemovements,and aspainterfrom the namegivenitbythe firstsettlers,is aswidelydistributed as this list of titlesimplies,for-merly rangingfrom the Canadian border souththroughoutourcountryand still tobe foundin themountaintractsandundevelopedlands of the westand south.Manystories have been told of its attacksuponhuman be-ings,and thequicknesswith which the colonists contrived to ridtheirsettlementsof itspresencemightseemtoproveat least a foun-dation of fact to someof them. Ifso,thepainterwell learned his75lesson,foralthough slinkingandprowling enoughabout hunters'paths,hedisplaysa wholesome dread ofany personalencounterwiththem.This fear of man is hisonly fear, however,since almost allwildanimals,at some time orother,furnishpreyto thisbigcat,of lithe frameandlongbody,measuringfive orsix feet exclusiveofhis two or three foottail,he is the best climber of his tribe andadmirablyfitted tospringdown from someoverhangingtree orledge directly uponthe unconsciousvictim,for whomhe has beenlyingin wait. Whentoohungry,to choose this uncertainwayofgettingameal,he willpursueacraftystillhunt,sneakingaboutuntil hesightshisgame,thenapproachingitnoiselesslywith themarvelousleapswhich hislongmuscularlegsmakepossibleandat lastpouncinguponit withoneswift,silent dart.Bythis meanshebringsto earth such able creatures as the mountainsheep,muledeer, peccary,etc. Atanytimehemaydine at his easeupon fish,76wildfowl,rabbitsandall ofthe smallermammals,andoftenwreaksdire havoc if allowed to lurk in thevicinityof a cattle ranch orsheep fold,since the flesh of colts and lambs is considered anespecial delicacy byhim.Thepuma'shomedepends chiefly uponthe character of thecountrywherehe lives. Inrocky regionshewillmakehis lair in acrevice between thecliffs,but in thewoods,a hollowlog, stumportree willpleasehimquiteas well. In the badlands he contrives asort of burrow in the wash-outholes,while best of allperhapshelikes a den under apileof brush orundergrowthin some thicket.Theirkittens, usuallyfrom two to five innumber,arepeculiarinthat theirtawnyfur is markedwith darkspots, givingthem moreresemblance to most cats than have theirparents.At theageofsix monthsthesespots beginto fadeandsoonentirely disappear.77CANADALYNXLynxcanadensis.From southern Yukon to the northern United States is foundthis Americanrepresentativeof thelynx family, althoughas hedemands for his homethe mostdense of forests andthe mostdes-olate ofrockycaverns,hisrangeisconstantly becomingmore re-stricted withthe furtherdevelopmentof ourcountry.Avery typi-calspecimenof his tribe heis,beingcharacterizedbythe usualdisproportionally long legs,a tail so short as to be almostinvisible,aruffofhairhangingfromhischeeksdownoverhisthroat,andthestraight,stiff,blacktuftsprotrudingabovethe ears. Hisfur,more-over,has the soft, thick texture and the loose,clinging qualityforwhich his kind are sohighly prized,while the blended effect oflight gray spottedwith a darker shade detracts not at all from itsbeauty.Amonghis native haunts this indistinctness ofcoloringaddsgreatlyto hisprotectionsince it serves as aperfect disguise againstalmostanybackground.It is also of immenseassistance to himinsecuringhis food as his success oftendepends uponhisabilitytoremain unseen until hispreycomes within reach. Hislengthoflimbs, however,indicates that hemay, upon occasion, provean ex-cellenthunter, althoughone wouldhardl}call hisgait graceful,ashe travels inspringing leaps, archinghis back as he leaves theground,andcomingdownon all four feet at once.Thanks to his broad andhairy paws,this curious motion isattendedwiththeutmoststillness andhemayalightinequalsecuri-tyontheyieldingcrustofsnowordryleavesandbrittletwigs,withnodangerofwarningapossiblevictim of hisapproach.His skillboth atswimmingandclimbingoffers him a wide selection fromwhich to choose hisfare, including fish, birds,wildfowl,and allof the smallermammals,but inspiteofthis,the cold frozen win-termusthold in store forhimmanyhungrydaysandnights,whenall hispowerswill be called into force tokeephim from actualstarvation.Thelynxis not alarge animal,measuringabout three feet inlengthandstandingfromeighteentotwenty-fourincheshigh.Heis, nevertheless,far more formidable inappearancethan indispo-sition as thestaring big eyesandlongcoarse whiskersgivethesquare,flat face anexpressionofexceeding ferocity,while inrealityhe is avery unaggressive beast,makingit his chief care toputas muchspaceaspossiblebetween himself andanyprospectiveenemy.Ifcornered, however,he shows himself no coward andproves beyondallquestionthat hispolicyis neither togiveor re-ceivequarter.81WILDCATLynxruffus.Oncecommonthroughoutmostofourcountry,the wild cathaslargely disappearedwith the devastation of theforests,whichwereboth hishiding placeandhunting ground,but hemaystill occa-sionallybe foundfromNovaScotiatoFlorida,eastandwest,wher-everovergrownandrough regionsafford sufficient seclusion andmeans of livelihood. The several varieties of thisspeciesdiffermuch incoloringand in their widerange,have beengiven manynames,suchas"Bob-cat,''"BayLynx/'and"RedLynx."Allalike,however,whetherthebackgroundof their fur belighterordarker,a moregrayish,reddish,oryellowish brown,aredistinctlymarkedwithverydark brown or blackspotswhichproduceauniformlybrindledappearance.All ofthem, too,are characterizedbythe83shortstubby tail,not more than six or seven incheslong, alwaysbushyand nevertapering'as is that of their domestic namesake.Theirlength, includingthetail,measures about threefeet,whiletheystand fromtwentytotwenty-four incheshighandweighfromeighteentotwenty-fivepounds. Theyarebynomeansunattractivecreatures,as the effect of themarkingsis oftenveryhandsomeandthey always possessthegraceand ease of movementpeculiarto their tribe.Left to their owndevices, theyarepeaceful enoughand in-clined to beshyandretiringat theapproachof anenemy.Onceforced to thedefensive, nevertheless, theybecome the mostsavageofanimals, fightingwith both teeth andclaws,showingnomercyandneveryieldinguntilabsolutely helpless. Theycatch theirprey,notbypursuitorvalor,butin thestealthymannerof allcat-hunting,eithercreeping uponitunaware,orlyingconcealed in wait for it.Theyarenotparticularas to whattheir foodis,whichat timesmay84consist of some smallbird,butusually seekingtheirregularmealsfrom more substantialgame,such asowls,grouse, partridge,mice,squirrelsandrabbits,of which the last'isperhapsthe moststaplearticle of diet.Theyareexperttree-climbers andfrequentlychoose for ahomethe hollow of atree,ormoreoften a fissure downamongtherocks,liningtheir nest withmoss ordryleaves to make it soft andcomfortable.Although they may preferthe darkness or at leasttwilightfor their excursionsabroad,they delightto come out oftheir den and bask in the warm sunshine of some shelteredledgequiteas does our householdpetbefore anopenfire. Indeedtheybetraytheir distantrelationshipto this familiar favoritebyshow-ingnoaversion to thesocietyofhumankind,sincetheyhave oftenbeenknownto remain evenafteracommunityhasbecomewell set-tledandto seekaccommodationselsewhere,onlywhencompelledbythescarcityof a foodsupply.85OCELOTFelispardalis.The ocelot is found within our horders no further north thansouthern Louisiana and Texas,as most of itsrangeis in SouthAmerica. It is alsoknownas"TigerCat"andvery properly,sinceitpossessesalike the feline virtues ofbeautyandgracefulnessandthe feline vices forcunningandferocity.Inheightit stands alittle morethan a foot from theground,its entirelengthis aboutforty-fiveinches,of which the tail measures aboutone-third,andtheweightfromthirtytoforty pounds.Adistinguishingfeatureabout itsappearanceis the direction in which run thestripesorblotches of blackadorningits reddishgraycoat. Thesevarywitheach ocelot as to the size andshape,but onthemall,and on themalone of allanimals,theylielengthwiseof thebody.The under-87partsof thecreature are whitewith blackspotsorlight brown,themarkingsofthelegsresemblethoseof thebodyandthelongtawnytail is almost encircled with darkrings. Owingto thestrikingcontrastbetweenthelightbackgroundandthedarkstreaks orlines,whosepatternis everdifferent, yet always displaysthebeautyofsomeregulardesignof itsown,thisspeciesis oneofthemosthand-someofthecattribeandthe fur is valuedaccordinglyin themanu-facture of fur luxuries both at homeand abroad.In common with most of hiskind,the ocelot is anexpertclimber, scramblingupa smooth tree trunkwith all theagilityof ayoungkitten.Indeed,in the forests of his nativehaunts,and heseldom chooses to show himself in theopen country,much of histime isspent up amongthe branches. Hepreferstheseleafyabodes,notalone forthe exercise andpleasureit mustgivehim tosportwith his lithe form in suchairy places,but also because it isupthere that he secures muchof his food. Tobe sure he isper-88fectlyable to catch the smallerquadrupedsto be found on thegroundandamongthe rocks;and these he doesdelightto hunt intrue catfashion, creeping stealthily upwithinleapingdistance,whence,withonedart,hemaypounceuponhisunsuspectingvictim.Buthehasaparticular likingforbirds, so,whenhechooses to dineuponthemtheeasiestplanis toposthimselfamongthelowerboughsandsimplyto lie hidden until one comesalong, when,with aleapthere will benomorebird,butthemostinnocentlookingbigfawn-coloredcat,contentedly washinghispaws.Incredible as itmayseem, thesecreatures,who arenaturallysosavage,becomeveryamenable incaptivityand show much af-fection for theirkeepers. Especiallyis this true iftheyare takenwhenyoung,or if theirconfidenceandregardarewonbysome tid-bit or somepleasingmarkof attention.GRAYWOLFCanis occidentalis.Thisanimal, probablybut ageographicalvariation of theEuropean wolf,was once commonthroughoutNorth America.While called the ''timberwolf,"because of apreferencefor for-ests from north tosouth,it wasbyno means confined tothese,but was alsoespeciallynumerousuponthe westernplains.Withtheadvanceof settlements its exterminationbecameabsolutelynec-essaryand bounties wereplaceduponitsscalp.Thevigorouswar-fare inconsequence waged againstit has been so effective thatto-daytherangeis restricted to the mostheavily-forested partsof theRockies,the desolateregionsabout HudsonBayand thebadlands of thewest,which are to be reclaimed from wildnessonlywithgreat difficultybecause of the nature of the soil.91AlthoughthemosttypicalAmericanrepresentativeof the fam-ilyin bothgeneral appearanceandhabits,thereare, nevertheless,manydifferences incoloringand localrange.Ingeneral,how-ever,all varieties are a darkgraywith more or less of ayellowishor rufoustinge.In sizethey usuallymeasure about fourfeet,with the addi-tion of a tail about onequarterthelengthof thebodyand standsometwofeetfromtheground.Thehomemaybeadenamongtherocks,the hollow of a fallentree-trunk,or anundergroundbur-row,where theyoung,from six to ten innumber,are born eachspring.These remain with the motherduringthesummer,beingtrained in the art ofgettingalivingforthemselves,while thefather-wolfbringsthem suchsuppliesas arenecessaryto assist intheir efforts.Byfalltheyarereadyto take theirplacein thepack,after whichthe lair is used as agoodretreat in which to rest afterbattleortohidebyday,astheyare creatures of thenight,but littlein evidenceexceptundercover of darkness.92Theirmethodofhuntingis toattack thepreyoutrightand runitdown,andtrulysmall need havetheyofstratagem, for,becauseof theirunsurpassed speedandstrength,no animal canhopeto es-capethem.Onlyvery rarelydoes ithappenthatsuperior cunningis able to savean unfortunateuponwhosetrailtheyhaveoncestart-ed. All sorts of wild beasts areacceptableto them and domesticsheepare a favoritebooty.In thiscountrythere has been few in-stances of attacks onhumanbeings,but there is nogoodreason tosupposethis due toany compunctionon theirpart,as their kin-dred of Russia have no suchscruples;thelargenumber of wildpreywhose abundance and extermination werecontemporarywiththeir own is a more naturalexplanationof theirleniency.Par-ticularlyfond weretheyof the buffalomeat,and littlesuspected,astheyconsumedtheyoung,sick,andwoundedoftheseinthemidstof the stolidherds,that theirownfamily,like that of their victims,was destined todisappearforever before a new and unknownenemy.93COYOTECanis latrans.Thecoyote,or"prairiewolf" as it is called in contrast to thegrayor timber wolfbythe difference inhabitat,wasformerlyalltoo commonthroughoutourcountryfrom north tosouth, beingmost numerous on the Westernplains,but atpresentis rareany-where, althoughitsrangeincludes remoteregionsfrom Alaskato Guatemala. In suchsolitudes,at dead ofnightand often at thenearapproachof dawn,maybe heard hishigh-pitched cry,halfhowl, halfyelp, easily distinguishedfromthedeepbassgrowlof hisgray neighbor,and from whichhereceiveshisLatin name"latrans"meaning"barking.''Mostofthemaraudingis doneduringthedarkness,whentheseslycreatures slink forth inpacksto secure theirprey; hares, chip-95munks, ground squirrelsand mice are theirstaple diet,but theseare oftensupplemented byvariousgamebirds andyoungfawns.The latter are about thelargestanimalsagainstwhomtheyvolun-tarily wage war, for,unlike most of theirfamily,thecoyotesarecowardlybeasts and lackmuchof thereputed ferocityof theirkind. Like mostcowards, however, they puton asufficientlyboldfronttoterrifytheirinferiorsand,inYellowstonePark,haveprovedsuch a menace thateverymeans has been taken for their extermi-nation.In theirdealingswith men these wolves areperfectlyharm-lessbeingswhose worst fault is thepersistencywith wfiichtheyfollowcampingpartiesin thehopesoffindingwastescrapsof food.Indeed,thereappearsto exist a sort ofgood- fellowshipbetweenthem andthe Indians of the WestandNorthwest,the descendantsof thoseaboriginesto whomtheyowethe commonname"coyote."Theyalso seem to have taken into their nature some of thewily96caution of theRedman,for it is almostimpossibleto catch them intraps.Nomatter howtemptingly baited,thestratagemis almostinvariablydiscoveredandleft untouched. Theirgreedmaybecometheir finaldestruction,astheycannot soreadilydetectpoisonedmeat,which has been one effective method ofreducingtheirnumbers.Although varying considerablywith location inrespectto bothcolorandsize,theymaysafelybetermed small incomparisonwithotherwolves,as the usuallengthis betweenfortyandfiftyinches.Becausethe hair islongerandthicker,andthe tail morebushy,thisdifference iseasily underestimated,and with thetawnycoat mixedwith black and whiteabove,the whitishshadingbelow and theblacktipped tail,theyare never unattractive. Thefur, althoughsoft andfairly luxuriant,is of toopooraqualitytobringahighprice,but isused,to a certainextent,in the manufacture oflap-robes,coats andgloves.97REDFOXVulpesfulvus.Theredfoxis themosttypicalofNorthAmericanfoxes;well-known, widely-distributed,of several colorphases,andalwayswiththeproverbial cunningof his kind. HisrangeextendsthroughoutNorth America from the Arctic Circle south toVirginiaand hiscoat of reddishyellowvaries somewhat with thelocation, beinglightestin thedesertregionsanddarkest in the forestsand its morenortherly range.Besides hisgeneral coloring,otherdistinguishingmarks are thegrizzled appearanceof the hindpartsof theback,the whitethroat,the white on the underpartsof thebodyand thewhitetipof the tail. The tail is about one-third of the wholelength, measuringabout thirteen inches while thebodyitself is buttwenty-four.Theweightof an adult willvaryfrom seven to fif-teenpounds, averagingabout tenpounds.99Becauseof hisabilityto lookout forhimself,his numbers areincreasingandvery probablyhe finds manto-daya far lessdeadlyfoe than thelargewild beasts in thepast.For ahome,the foxhas a burrow where the five toeight youngare born eachspring,but hepreferstospendmost of his time in theopen.Fromsomelurking-placehegoesforth to seek hisprey,whichmaybe a rab-bit, woodchuck,rats ormice, or,if fortune favorshim,a tenderchicken oryoungduck. Ifhe lives nearthe shorehemay"gofish-ing"at low water for crabs and other sea food. His excursionsusuallytakeplaceatnightand it is afrequentcustom for themaraudertoscurrybackas soonas hisbootyis secured anddevourit in his den.Forages"wise as a fox" has been aproverband this mem-ber of thefamily keeps upthe traditionalreputation. Especiallydoes he show hiswit,whenhunted,where the odds aredecidedlyagainsthim,his cleverness atescapinghorses and houndshas been100sufficient tokeepthesport popularforgenerations. Feigningto bedead, lying prostrateon asteep slopein theexpectationthat thehounds will rushpasthim in theirheadlong speed, temptingthemto follow him over thinice,strong enoughforhim,but too frailforthem;these are butsuggestionsof hismany stratagems.Per-hapsthe mostamusingof these tricks is his habit ofbafflingthehunterbysome false moveand,aftercunningly makinga detourto somepointbehind his would-bepursuer,he follows at a safedistance,as iflaughingat thejoke.There are two color variations of the redfox,known as the"cross fox'1andthe blackor silver fox. The fur of these twoandalsooftheredfoxitselfaremuchprized,thatoftheblackandsilvervariety beingthe mostvaluable ofanypeltsandtogetherthe threeformanimportantarticle ofourexporttrade.101BLACKFOXVulpes fitlvus argentatus.Theblackfoxis aslightlymorenorthernvarietyofthe red foxspecies, beingfoundfromAlaskato Manitobaandoccasionallyfar-thersouth,althoughrarethroughoutitsrange.In. thetypicalformit is also known as the "silverfox,"both from the snow whitetipof the tail and from the whitetipson the black fur and the moregrizzled appearanceof the hindparts.As itoccurs, however,inthe samerangeas the cross fox and mixesfreelywith thelatter,therearenumerousvariations fromthetypeandsometimesevenanentirelygrayorwhollyblackspecimenis found.Forcenturiesgenuineblack fox fur has been esteemedamongthe three or four most. valuable ones.Kingsandqueenshaveplaced uponit their sanction as theonlyfur that will retaingold103tipping uponits hairs and so alone fitted for their adornment.Wealth and discriminationeverywherehave followed their de-creesandbecauseof thedemandthuscreated there arose anew in-dustrysometwenty-fiveyearsago, namelytheraisingof foxes fortheprofitsfrom their skins. The fact that millions of dollars areatpresent representedbythedevelopmentof this venture seems tojustifyus inconsideringthe black fox froma commercialpointofview.Theimportanttruth at the basis of the wholeundertakingisthat the world'ssupplyof furs from wild creatures in a naturalstate must decrease. This needs no furtherargumentthan ref-erences to the Russiansable,the Alaskanseal,theslaughterofbothofthesebeingnowcurtailedbylaw,andthe seaotter,which ispracticallyextinct. In ourcountrya little more than the lifetimeofonegenerationhaswitnessedanoteworthydisappearanceofmanyof the smaller furbearers,whowereformerlynotuncommon,and104this mustconstantly happenas theirhiding placesmakewayfortownsand cities.Thepromotersof the fox farms realize this and their first in-terest has been to secure the sureperpetuationof aprolificstand-ardtype.Forthisguaranteedpairsbringashighas fromtwentytofortythousand dollars forpureblack foxes forbreeding.TheLondonmarket,which is the center of the world furtrade,esti-mates that it coulddisposeof five thousandpure peltsfrom suchsourcesyearly,withoutloweringtheprevailing price,whichrangesfrom anaverageof five hundred dollars for anordinary skin,tofifteen hundred ormore forprimeandexceptionally perfectskins.Theyearsthat mustpassbeforeanysuch number canpossiblybefurnished,assure investors that there is nodangerof the marketbecomingoverstocked.105in|ARCTICFOXVulpes lagopus.Avery interestinganimal is this inhabitant of the farnorth,whorarelyis foundsouthof theCanadianline,andwhochangeshiscoloringwithchangesof season orofplace.In themiddleportionof hisrangehe is bluish brownin summerandpurewhite in win-ter,whileintheextremenorthhekeepshissnowycoveringthrough-out theyearandwhenfound farthest south is knownas the "BlueFox"becauseof hisunvaryingcoat of blue. Thesedifferences area remarkable illustration of thewaysand meansbywhich naturecontrives toprotectandpreservecreatureswho,on account of cli-matic or other adverseconditions,seemunusually proneto extinc-tion. The Arctic fox is alsoprovidedwith an underfur next hisskin as an additionalprotection againstthe coldestweather,shed-107dingthis at theapproachofspring.Inlengthhe measures aboutthree feet and is unlike others of hisfamilyinhavinglesspointedears andmuzzle, while,as a convenience for hisslippery journeysoverice andsnow,his feetareshodwith a thickwoolly coveringofhair.Like hisgiant neighbor,thewalrus,this northern resident isfondofcompanyandtheburrowsaredugincommunitiesoftwentyor more in one suitablesandy spot. Duringthe warm season thecolonyis in nodangerofwant,as the chief foodsupplyofbirds,birds'eggsandthe rat-likelemmings, peculiarto thenorth,is to befound inabundance;but with themigrationof the birds and theapproachof thedeath-dealingcold ofwinter,this fox would farehardhadnothis naturalcunningtaughthim toprovideasupplyoflemmings, caughtwhen fat andplentiful.These he has buried afewinchesbeneaththesurface,wherethetemperatureislowenoughtopreservethem,and onthemhemustnowdepend.Atthis time108theyoungermembersofthetribe travelsouthward,thusservingthedoublepurposeoflesseningthe number to besupportedand alsotrainingthemselves for the fortunes of life and of war.Craftythis creature is in the matter ofsecuringalivelihood,but he is less clever than most of his kind inavoidingthetrapsof humaningenuity.Wesometimes wonder whether this unsus-picious dispositionis not due rather to lack ofacquaintancewiththenewenemythan toanyinferiorityofwits. Bethis as itmay,heiseasily caughtandfurnishesnosmall revenuebecause of his valu-able fur. Thewhitephaseisprizedmosthighly, althoughthepeltinany coloring bringsagood figure.Theexperimentofraisingthese foxes for commercialpurposesisbeingtried on some of theislands off the Alaskan coast and atpresent promisesto be asuccessful venture.109GRAYFOXUrocyon cinereoargenteus.Althoughitmaybe found as far north as Massachusetts andNewYork,thegray,orVirginianfox,is asthesecondnameimplies,the fox of the southern United States. For several reasons thisspeciesis moredependentuponthe forests than the northern vari-etyanddoesnottakekindlytoremainingin thevicinityofcultivatedlands. Inthe firstplaceitprefersto find a home for itsyounginthe hollow of astump, tree,orlog,rather than the burrow whichseemsmoresatisfactorytothe red fox.Then,whileendowedwithmuchnaturaltrickeryandslyness,itapparentlyhas not the samecapacityforpremeditatedshrewdness and is moreeasilyoutwittedbyits humanfoes. As it lacks the bold fearlessness which charac-terizes its ofttimes too familiar thievishcousin,the wooded tractsinaffordgratefulseclusionandprotection. Possiblya trifle inferiortosomeof its kindinspeedandendurance,it excels atclimbingtrees,althoughthisability mayat timesprovea doubtfuladvantageiftemptedto useit,anunlucky fugitivegrowswearyof hisflightforsafetyandplaceshimself in a finepositionto be shot.Fortunately,thepowerofself-preservationbestoweduponthissmallcreature,whichappearssounequalto the marvelouscunningof others of histribe,are offsetbythe fact that hisbody,whilebut littleshorter,as it measures aboutthirty-nine inches,is moreslender andmaythus far lessquicklyattract attention. Further-more,thegraycoloringabove,shadingintoarustyredonthe sidesandyellowishwhiteunderneath,renders avery inconspicuoushintof hispresence.Thesame indistinction ofcoloringaidsindirectlytosafeguardits wearerby beingvalued the least ofanyfoxfur,consequentlydoes notbringahigh enough priceto everencouragehispursuit.112As thepeculiar signof hisspecies,thegrayfox adds to thebushyappearanceof fox tails ingenerala contribution of hisown,for aridgeof coarselonghairsgrowout in aperfectlyerectposi-tionfromtheuppersurface ofthisappendage,givingitanunusuallybristlyeffect. Atthe root ofthetail,as is the case with all buttheArctic members of thefamily,areglands containinga secretionwhich emits astrongandunpleasant odor, very penetratingandlasting.This is themeansbywhichhounds areenabled tokeepthetrail of a foxlongafter he hasdisappearedfrom view and thefoxhimself,seemingto realizethis,useseverytrick he knows tobreak the line of scent and so throw hispursuersoff his track.Otheranimals,especiallycats andhorses,haveshownunmistakablytheir dislike forthis smellbytheirunwillingnessto enter enclosurestainted with it.113SABLEor MARTENMustela aincricana.In thedayswhen the firsttrappersroamed the wilderness ofwhat is nowCanadaand the northern UnitedStates,the Americansablewas sonumerousthatthe skinswereannuallyexportedbythethousands.To-daybecause of thehighvalue then setupontheirrich brown fur with itsremarkablyfinetexture,its softdownywarmth and thebeautyof itsgloss,theseanimals,who are moreproperlycalledmartens,are rareeverywhere throughouttheirrange.Hadtheynotbeenaidedin theirunequalconquestwithmanbynaturalshynessandunusualpowersofreproduction, theywouldprobably longsince have becomepracticallyextinct. As itis, theywithdraw as far aspossiblefrom civilization into mountainous115regionsorheavilytimberedforests, especially preferringthe ever-greens,whence the name"pinemarten" is sometimesappliedtothem.Fortunatelylike themink, theyarefully competenttocopewithanywildenemy they mayfind in thesehaunts,and oncefreed from theplotsof humaningenuity,lead averycomfortablelife.Althoughtheymeasure but seventeen inches inlength,withoutthebushyseven-inchtail,yetthese four-footed creatures seemfar toobigfor thedwelling theyoftenselect,which is none otherthan a holehigh upin some tree. Itmaybejusta hollow in thetrunk or the deserted nest of somelargebird orsquirrel,but itmustbecozilylinedwithmoss,grassanddryleaves before thenewtenants feelperfectlyat home.Occasionallya householdmaybeestablished in the crevice of arock,buteventhenmuchof thetimewill bespent running gracefully upand down the treetrunks,orlurkingamongthebrancheswith silent furred feet and allreadyto116pounceswiftlyoutonanyunwarysquirrelor birdwhomaychancetopassthatway.Themarten, however,isbyno means confined to one mannerofgettinghisliving.Besides hisstill-hunting,hemayany dayen-joythe more active andsportsmanlikemanner offollowingthescentof a harewhenhis keen sense of smellandacombinedpolicyof watchfulness andpersistent pursuit usuallyoutwits the merespeedof hismiscalculatingvictimandsecureshimtheprize.Thentherearealwaysrats,miceandsnakestobehadforthetakingwhichwith thecaptureof agamefowlnowand thenmayseem sufficientvarietytosatisfyamostdiscriminatingtaste.FISHER(Mustela pennanti)is alargerand heavier form ofmarten, measuring thirtyinches or more inlength.Its habits aremuch thesame,but its increase instrengthandferocityis muchgreaterinproportion,evenwithits increasein size. Thefuris con-sidered asabouttwice thevalueofthemarten.117MINKPutorins vison.Fewanimals aregivenasmanyandas diversifiedpowersbothforgettingalivingand forself-preservationas fall to the lot of themink,who is still to be found notinfrequently throughoutNorthAmerica,exceptingin the extreme north and south.Equallyfit-ted forquickness,whetheronland orin thewater,is thelong,slen-der andsupple shapeandequallydoes he divide his time betweenthetwo,withaslightpreference, perhaps,for thelatter, seeingthatit offers saferquartersand moreeasily capturedfood. He has*spreadbeforehim,formostof theyear,anexceptionallyvaried billoffare,without the trouble ofhuntingatall,hemay regalehim-self onmussels,various shellfish and even dead fish castup alongshore. Most fond ofdivingandswimming,he is seldom unable119toprocurea meal ofgoodfreshfish, caught rightat his own doorin thepondor stream beside which he has chosen to dwell.Then,in the marshlands near hishome,hemay,at shortnotice, pickout theplumpestwild duck and the most tender offrogsand meadowmice, or,goingout of theswamp, upinto thewoods,findgreat sportin theslychase of apartridgeorgrouse,where his keen sense of smell andquicknessof movement aremostof alldisplayed.Tobesure in winterthe choicemaybemorelimited,butyetthere arealwaysrabbits to be hadbythisknowinglittle hunter andusuallyanopeningsomewherealongthe bank totadmit him to his favoritefishing groundsunder the ice.All inall,wefancythat few wild creatures have morechancefor realenjoymentthan does thisactive,strongandwonderfullyversatile animal.Especiallyto becongratulatedis he that each ofhis haunts holds apeculiar placeofrefugeas well as a foodsup-ply.Toescape dangerhemaydart behind alogand down into120thewater, sliphis slim form intoany cranny big enoughfor arat,or scuttlequickly awayamongthegrasses, upatree,or out ofsightunderthe leaves.Small fear need he have of the enemies of his own wildsort,but the valuablecoveringof the nineteen-inchbodyand the seven-inch, thick,round tail makehim well worthtaking byhuman foesand even the able mink falls apreyinlargenumbers to their de-ceiving traps.Thefur,varyingin color from ayellowishbrownto averydarkbrown,is esteemedhighlyfor theglossinessof theouterlonghairsandthe softwarmthofthe underfur. Alaska fur-*nishes the bestquality,but wherever found the darker shades al-wayscommandagoodmarketvalue. Thoseskins which are takenin the southern andthroughthe middle west areusuallymuchlighterin color and of far less value.121BADGERTaxidea taxus.This oddlookingbeast who seldom ventures outby day,andwho ifsurprised by beingdiscovered on those rare occasions whenhedoes, simply spreadsout his broad flatbodyascloselyto thegroundaspossible, trustingwithgoodreasontobetaken fornothingmoreinterestingthanahummockofgrass.Isfairlycommon,if notoftenseen,fromYukonsouth to MexicoandTexas,andeast to theGreat Lakes. The cautiousdispositionwhich leads thisclumsycreature to defer hisjourneysabroad until after dark is agreataid to thepreservationand increase of hiskind,as is also the factthathislongsharpteethpossessthepeculiarpoweroflockingthem-selves intoanyenemyuponwhomtheyoncegetagrip.Asheis sometwofeet inlength,heis oneof thelargestof the123grounddwellers and socomparativelysafe from their attacks aswell asprovidedwithabundant food from their number. With hisshort,butextremelystrongfrontlimbs andhisbigcurved claws hecanmakehiswayintoanyof their holes faster thantheycanhopetoescapeandlives athiseaseupontheprairiedogs,groundsquirrelsand field mice he thus unearths. Nor does he at all scorn stillsmallerfare,such asbeetles, grasshoppers,snails orworms,whilewildbeesandwaspsareanespecial dainty,to whosevainstingshislongdensehair and thickhide offer animpenetrableshield.Forhisownhomehemusttunneloutamuchlarger spacethanthatoccupiedbymostofhisneighbors,which,tobesure,maybetrayhim to thetrapper byits difference insize,butalso,at least inearlierdayswhen whole tribes ofbadgerslived neartogetherinsandy soil,hasprovedtreacherousfootingformanyanunwarytraveler. Inside of the burrow will bemadeacarefullylined nestofdriedgrass,andhere, too,willbestored aquantityofdriedgrass124andsedges,rolledupintohard, tight balls,as food for the motherandthe threeor four littlebadgerswhoareto arrive in dueseason.In the same warmundergroundchamber thefamilywillpassthecoldwinter,but astheyare fat and well nourished whentheyen-ter,theyspendmostof this time in soundmotionlesssleep,with nothoughtor need offood,and somehowmanageto come out in thespringstill sleek and ingoodcondition.The silkiness of theheavy coveringof this animal and thestriking appearanceof thedistinctlymarked black and white headgivethefura fairmarketvalue, althoughthegrizzledgraycoloring,shadinginto atawnyor russet with anirregularmottled blackisheffect above rather detract from its richness.125WOLVERINEor GLUTTONGulo luscus.Withshaggycoat,bigbroad flatpawscovered with thickhair and astrong heavilybuiltframe,the wolverine is well fittedfor hiswanderinglife in a northernrange,which,beginningat thelimit oftrees,extends to the Great SaltLake,althoughhe is ex-tremelyrare south of northernNewYork.Bearingthe unenviablereputationof the worst thief in all the animalworld,he is knownas"mountaindevil" tothe Indianandtrapper,whosesupplies,how-ever wellhidden,are often ferreted outbyhis most acute senseof smell and whosetrapshe considers his ownproperty, emptyingthem of their contents at hispleasureandnotinfrequently luggingoff thetrapas well as the baitandgame.Heis also called "carca-jou."127Anothername,givento him in thenorthwest,ishardlymorecomplimentary, being"skunk bear" andsuggestedalikebyhisbear likeclumsiness,the lowhanging postureof his head andtail,and the foul odor with which he soilsanyfood which he cannotconsume,thusrenderingit worthless toanyother creature.For,inspiteof thegreedyandgorgingnature,whichhas causedhim tobeeverywherecalled"glutton,"he often finds itimpossibleto de-vourall hehaskilled,sincehismadpassionforplunderhasno limitwhatsoever.Althoughhe retains some of thequickand elastic freedom ofmovementcharacteristicoftheweaselfamilytowhichheisdistantlyrelated,hisbulkyform andcoveringmakelongcontinuedrunningorclimbingrather toomuchof an exertion so he hasbecomepro-ficient in theartofprowlingandtramping.Unweariedat thisstyleofhuntingishe, keepingitup dayin anddayout, and,bythe aidofsullen shrewdnessandhiswonderfullydevelopedpowerof scent.128slaughtersenormousquantitiesof thehelpless youngof other ani-mals,andmanyof the smallerquadrupedsthemselves,tosaynoth-ingof wild fowl and otherbirds, rats, mice, reptilesand insects.Theblackishbrownbodyof the wolverine is markedwithtwobands of alightershade ofyellowish brown,onerunningfromeither shoulder down over the flank andmeetingthe other at thebase of thebushytail. Inlength theymeasure fromthirtytothirty-six inches,ofwhichthe tail is fromeightto ten inches. Fora homethey diga burrow in theground,inwhich,usually duringJune,their four or fiveyoungare born. While not taken in suchlargenumbers as are the martens andfishers, theyarepersistentlyhuntedbythetrappers.Mostcleverly plannedand concealedmustbe the device to catch them. Theirfur,whilemuchlonger,is con-sidered ofmorevalue than either of the above.129WEASELorERMINEPutorius novel*oracensis.Theweasel,amongwhose fifteenspeciesare included someofthe smallest carnivora inexistence,is commonthroughoutNorthAmerica. In actuallength theymayvaryall thewayfrom six tosixteeninches,butall havesuchinsignificantbodiesandsuchblood-thirsty temperamentsthat the contrast affords the moststrikingcharacteristic of the wholefamily.Apeculiarityof thisfamilyisthetendencyfor thegeneralreddishbrowncolor which it wears insummer to turn whiteduringthewinter,thischange beingmoremarked in thespeciesfarther north. In this whitephase theyarecalled "Ermine" and their fur is considered as most valuable fortrimmingorlinings, beingusedwith thehighest pricedfurs.Theone here chosen as atype,as do severalothers,keepthe131tipofthe tail blackall theyear round,which seems at firstthoughtanapparent oversighton Nature'spartand doomed to attract un-wished-for attention to itswearer,but it hasjusttheoppositeeffect; namely,todisguisethe whereabouts of the rest of the ani-malbyits ownconspicuousness. Doubly possibledoes this resultbecome when we take into account theelasticityof the slenderform whichmaylie inanydirection whatsoever from theveryprominenttail.Itis,first ofall,to thiselasticitythat the ferocious creatureis indebted for his marvelousabilityas a hunter. Because of it hecan work hiswayintoanyburrow,no matter how small the en-trance,orhowcomplicatedandnumerousthepassageways,andcanfollow the smallest of hispreyin itswindings throughthe nar-rowestcrackor crevice. Anotherweaponofhardlysecondimpor-tance is hishighly developedsense ofsmell,whichboth locates hisvictim for himat the start and enables him tokeepits trail in the132pursuit.In addition to these twophysical qualifications,there isthe desire to kill forkilling'sownsake,to whichtestimonyis oftenbornebythe number of untouched dead left behindhim,and hisfearlesscouragewhichapparentlyhasnothingbutcontemptfor thesize orstrengthof alargerfoe.Besidesmice, rats, ground squirrels,theeggsandyoungofbirds and other suchproportionate booty,he never hesitates topounce upon rabbits, ducks,chickensandgame fowl,andfasteninghissharpteethtogetherwith a fatalsnap,sucks their blood insavage satisfaction,or in still moresavage gleeleaves them asmutememorials of hisprowess.Even to thepresenceofmanhemanifestssupremeindifference,andif corneredortrappedwillfightaslongas life remains.133t; .JLBEAVERCastor canadensis.Althoughformerly,widelydistributedthroughoutNorthAmer-ica,the beaver hasbeenhunted sopersistentlythat he is nowprac-ticallyextinctexceptin the northeasternpart.His value consistsin a beautiful soft thickgrayishbrownunderfur,which remainsafter thelongchestnut-colored hairs have been removed and ishighly prizedfor ladies'coats, hats,furtrimmings,etc. Whileheisoneofthelargestofourrodents,measuringaboutfortyinches,includingthe ten-inchpaddle-shapedtail so useful to him in swim-ming,he is bestknown,notbyhissize,butbyhis skill inbuildingthedams,which take first rankamongall featsperformedin theanimalworld.Thepurposeof thesegreatdams, whichmayreach several135hundred feet inlength,is toprotectthe home of the buildersbykeepingthe waterdeep enoughto cover the entrance. This homeisusuallya burrow in the bankand,as thedykecauses the waterto rise around and aboutit,theheightis increased and the struc-turestrengthened by polesandmud,until thetypical"BeaverLodge''results rather fromthefloodingdue to the damthan fromanydeliberateplan.To find material these industrious creaturesmust often felltrees,frequentlya foot indiameter,whichtheydobygnawingparallel groovesaroundthe trunkandchiselingout thewood between with theirstrong sharp teeth,thengnawingothercirclesdeeperinandrepeatingtheprocessuntil the treefalls,usual-lyinto thewater. Atoncetheybeginto trim off thebranches,thebark of which furnishes themwith their chieffood, manyof thembeingfastened under water for their winter'ssupply. Next,thewood is cut intolengthsof from three to five feet anddraggedtotheedgeof thestream,from which itmay easilybe floated to the136appointed place.The construction is mostcleverly contrived,thelarger logs beingheldfirmly together bysmallertwigsand mudplastereddown sosecurelywith the fore feet as to makethe damabsolutelywater-tight.It is widestatthebasewherethepressureisthegreatest,and, if thecurrent isstrong,maypresentaconvex sur-faceto breaktheforceofthewater.Duringthe fall eachyearit isthoroughlyinspectedandtheweakspotsreinforcedagainstthecom-ingstorms. Thegreaterportionof the beaver'slabor isperformedatnightand theamount ofworkaccomplishedas well as its dura-bility provehimpossessedofindustryand skill second to none ofthe wildcreatures,andpossibly superiortoanyother of them.137MUSKRATFiber zibethicus.The muskrat is common both east and west from Alaska toLouisiana,beingone of the fur animals whoreapa benefit fromimprovementsdue to civilization. No sooner is an areanewlyflooded,whether it beby dammingback a stream for somemanu-facturing plant,or in the construction of a reservoir for agreatcity,ormerelyto forman artificialpondorornamentallake,than acolonyof muskratsappear,allreadyto takepossession. Theyareperhaps quiteas safe near human habitations astheywere in thedayswhen the uncleared forests held forthem somanyfoes.Theyaretrappedin immensenumbersthroughoutthecountryand their fur is one of the most used andyethas a market valuethe lowest ofanyof the fur bearersquoted.Unlike most of our139distinctivelynativeanimals,the muskratretains,even inpopularusage,thenamebywhichthe Indians calledhim, ''musquash,"andwhatever the strictmeaningmaybe,its soundsurely suggeststhisbigratdivingdowninto themarshy pool, swishing along throughthe softmud,orflappinghis stiffscalytailamongthe rushes as awarningto his mates.Hisbodytellsuswherenatureintendedhimtolive,forwith itsdarkbrownupperparts shadinginto reddishonthe sides andwhiteunderneath,it could neverbedistinguished except bymotion fromthemiry swampwhere it looks likenothingbut a merelumpofmud. Wedo notusuallythink of rats as waterlovers,but thisoneenjoysbest his existence whenlazily floatingabout in thesunnywarmthof someshallowpool,oronhotsummerdaysin thecool little inlets beneathoverhangingbranches.Heis an excellentswimmer,for while his feet areonly par-tiallywebbed,his naked flat tail iscuriouslycarried onedgeand140doesgoodservice as bothpropellerand rudder. Onland his shortlegssoonwearyofsupportinghisplumpbody,whichmeasuresabouttwelveinches,while the tail is of about the samelength.He is asturdylittlefellow,and if there seems to him sufficient reason hemaywandera considerable distance fromhis favorite stream.He ispeculiarlyblessed with theabilityto make for himselfeither or both of two distincttypesofdwelling.If thebodyofwater near which he lives has ahighbank,he willdiginto thisfrom under water for some tenfeet,slopingthe burrowupward,andat the end of thepassage openupa finespaciousroom. If inlowlands he with several othersmaybuild ofweeds, sticks, etc.,alarge pileofrubbish,within whichtheyhave a room above thewater line.141OTTERLutracanadensis.Wellknowntotheearlysettlers ofNorthAmericaandbythemregardedas animportantarticle fortrade,theotter haspaida dearpricefor his handsome skin andto-dayis found butrarely,al-though, nominally,hisrangestill extends fromAlaskaandCanada,throughtheRockyMountainregionon the west and NewYorkandPennsylvaniaon the east, to the Carolinas and Florida. Therich brownfur,in addition to a wonderfulglossand silkiness oftexture, possesses,whenat its best fromNovembertospring,sucha beautifuldownythicknessthat,although designed bynature forhisprotection,it hasprovedthe source of hisgreatest dangerbe-cause of itshighcommercial value. In commonwith most of hisotherfeatures,it ispeculiarly adaptedto hiswater-lovinghabits143and consists of an outerlayeroflongcoarse hair to shed waterand so to further hisprogress throughthestream,and an under-layerof fine soft furtopreventthe excessive cold frombenumbinghis frameduringhislongwinterstaybeneath theicysurface.His wholeappearance, indeed,shows howthoroughlytheotter is fitted for his life as a fisher. Hisbody, measuringthreeandahalforfourfeet,is slimandofequalwidthfromtheflat headto the base of thelongbroadtail,which is also flat and ofgreatconvenienceas arudder,whilehisshapelessnessisjustthe form heneeds for his activities underwater. Hislegsare notlongenoughto be at all in hisway,while his webbed feet are the bestpossibledevice topropelhim in his travels. In search for food he mayeither divedirectlyupontheunsuspectingvictim orpursueit in itscourse,dartingin andout, upanddown,in true fish-fashion andusuallybeatingthe fish at its owngame.Heis ahunter forsport'ssake as well as fornecessityandslaysfarmorepreythan he con-144sumes,oftensatisfyinghisdainty palatewith one bite from thefavoriteportionandleavingthe rest which sometimes is not de-spisedbyhis humanneighbors.Histeeth areexceptionally strongandsharptogivehimafirmholdof hisslipperybootyandhis skillatcatchingfish is in suchreputethat he isactually keptfor thatpurposein someOrientalcountries. Thetask oftraininghimis notdifficult,ashe iseasilytamed, quicklyunderstandswhatisexpectedofhimandsoonbecomesattachedto his owner.Although essentially water-creatures,otters do not hesitate tomakeland-journeysfromoneriver toanother, goinginfamilypar-tiesandfollowingwell-definedtracks. Acuriouslyroundaboutpathdotheyform,avoidingeverymannerof obstaclelargeorsmall,un-less, indeed,acoatingof mud or snow allows them toindulgeintheir decided fondness ofslidingdownhill.145PORCUPINEErethizon dorsatus.Few animals afford a betterexampleof theprotectionwhichNaturedevisestopreservefromextinction certainspeciesthandoesthis armor-clad inhabitant of thedeepforests fromsouthern Maineand the mountains ofPennsylvaniaas far north as HudsonBay.It is notoflarge size,measuringonlyaboutthree feet inlength,in-cludingthe nine-inchtail,andweighingaboutthirty pounds.'Neith-er is thereany beautyofcoloringor of texture in its dark brownhair,which almost conceals the shortgray-tipped quills.In theselast, however,although theyare but from one to four incheslong,lies the chief interest of this curious animal. Aslongas he is un-disturbed,his coat of mail restsquietlythrownback over thebodyand,onfirstacquaintance,maydeceiveeven thecraftywild folk of147hisown forest. Butlet themtrytoapproachhimandhowquicklythe sheet ofmusclesunderneath forcesevery quillto anuprightpo-sition,while one blow from thestrongtail where thespinesarestrongestandthickest,teaches thetrespassera lesson never to beforgotten.Eachspineis solooselyattached to the wearer's skinthat thepowerof the blow will drivemanyof them into the vic-tim'sbody, especiallyasthey penetratebecausesharply pointed.When oncein, any attemptto extract them succeedsonlyinmakingabadmatterworse,asthepointis barbedandworksitswayfurther into the flesh witheverymotion of the sufferer. It is notuncommon for death to follow as the final result of the blow.Hence,althoughslow ofmovementand ofwits,theporcupineis anadversarywhom even thelargewild cats fear to encounter anddwells insafetyamongfarlargerandmoreclever animals.His home is located in a hollowtree, or,moreoften,in a lairamongthe rocks.Althoughsomewhatpartialto the darkness of148night,hemay occasionallybe seenduringtheday, especiallyinwinter,ashehibernates foronlybriefperiods.Theyoungarebornin thespringandareusuallytwoin number. Insecuringhisfood,this creature followspeculiarmethods.Hemlocks,beeches andcotton-woodsare his favorite trees and it is his custom to take onetree after another in astraightlinethroughthe forest. Hebeginsto eat the bark of thetip-topbranches first andsystematicallygnawshiswayto thebottom,then climbs another and does like-wise,leavingbehind him naked limbs and treesstrippedof barkandfoliagealike.The Indians in thepastwere accustomed to use his flesh forfood,his skin forclothingand hisquillsfor decoration of mocca-sins, huntingpouches,etc.140NORTHERNHAREorWHITERABBITLcpusaincricanusvirgimanus.This is one of thelargestof the rabbitfamily.Adultsbeingfromeighteentotwentyinchesand the morenorthern varietiesuptotwenty-fourincheslongandaveragingfrom four to sixpoundsinweight.It is mostcommonlyfound in the northeasternpartofthe United States from northern Maine to NorthCarolina, alongtheAlleghanyRange.FromthemiddleorlastofFebruary,until thecomingofsnow,their color is of a dark reddishbrown,whichusually changesin ashort time to bepure white, or,in somecases,white with thepatchesofbrownstillremainingduringtheearlypartofthe winter.Thischangeof color is theirgreatest protection,both fromthe hunter and fromtheir various animalenemies,from the small151weasel to thefox,and also all of thelargervarieties of the hawksandowls.Theyareusuallyquietduringthegreaterpartoftheday,sleepingin densethickets,and at dusk start out for their foodsupply,which consists of freshleaves, grass,roots and the tenderbark fromyoungtrees.Theydonot seem to have the instinct ofmanyotheranimals,like thesquirrels,ofstoring awayfor futureuseasupplyforthewinter.Theyareoneof themosthelplessof theanimalfamilyin hav-ingnomeansof defenseandhave todependwhollyon their fleet-nessof footingettingawayfromthelargenumberoftheirenemies.Unlike thegrayrabbit,these donot burrow andmakeagoodcomfortablenestin theground,butmaybe foundathomein denseswampythicketsontheborderofheavytimberandunderthecoveroflow-hangingevergreens.Theyareneverabundantinanylocalitynow,whereonlyafewyears agotheywereto be foundcommon.Theyare shotbyhunt-152ers for themarkets,their fleshbeingconsidered asequalto mostother kinds of wildgameand their natural enemies are so nu-merous that it is almostimpossibleforany greatincrease in theirnumbers.Theirworstenemiesarethe foxesandowls,the latterhuntingthem atnightwhentheyarefeeding,and the foxes whiletheyarehalfasleep duringtheday. Theybreedearlyin thespring, havingseveral littersduringtheseason,and have fromthree to sixyoungeach time. Theyoungare born with theireyes openandare cov-ered withhair, beingnursedbythe mother for four or fiveweeks,whentheyareoldenoughto care for themselves. Thehides of therabbit and hare are usedquite extensivelyin the manufacture ofthecheapergradeoffurs, havingthe lowestmarketvalue.153CONY,LITTLECHIEFHAREor PIKAOchotonaprinceps.Thissmallanimal,knownasthe"calling," "crying,"or"piping''hare,becauseofthe shrillwhistle,whichservesbothastheordinaryspeechof thesegregariouslittlecreatures,and with aslightvaria-tion,as theirnoteofwarning,isreallynotatypicalhare atall,buthas afamilynamepeculiarto itself. It is foundthroughoutthewestern mountainrangesfrom Alaska to northern California andlivesupamongthepeaks,seldombeingseenbelowtimberline. Atthesehighelevations it makes itshome,either in a natural creviceoraburrowformedamongorbetweentherocks,comingforth occa-sionallyto sun itself on thesloping ledges,butusually preferringthedarkness for itsworking-time.And,indeed,itmusthavetoworkhardtopickupalivingfrom155thescantymountaingrassandplants, especiallyas it does not hi-bernate butlays upalarge supplyfor the wi