The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-05-02
THEY SAY HE'S BRAINY.
THE WOLVERINE HAS THAT REP
UTATiON.
~ imam Intelligence and sagaclty are
Especially Noticeable I'm the AMI
mal--sescrai Interesting
Wolverine stories.

more nearly reached on the wolverine
than by any Other animal on the globe.
and Il would not be- difficult 10 prove
this. But 10 place II above the ele-
plant and the anthropoid apes OF the
Old World may be too bold step. and
we may content ourselves with claim
ing for IL the supremacy among ami
mails indigenous 10 the western hemi-
sphere.
OF the almost phenomenal keenness
OF wit possessed by this animal we may
cite few instances -not the wild
stories OF irresponsible hunters, but
fully authenticated. IL is common
habit OF the wolverine 10 spring n
baited trap without being itself caught.
although no person has ever succeeded
In detecting the method by which this
is accomplished. A trapper in the far
north, finding that the bait was stolen
from long line OF traps fastor than no
could attend To them. resolved 10 en-
trap the wary thief. Deadfalls and
pit-traps were OF no avail. The vol
VERNE sprung the former by methods
known only TO himself. and after dig
ging up the bait from the latter he
filled up the pits with stones and rub
bish.
As last resort the trapper set
loaded gun aimed ut the bait that was
fastened 20 "A string connected with the
trigger. Any other four-footed thief
would have received In his hide the
contents OF the gun. But the wolver-
inc knew IA trick worth two OF that.
His tracks In the snow afterwards
showed that he had examined the
bait without touching It. had then
gone around back OF the gun, and after
cutting the string in several places,
had returned 10 the bait and carried IL
of In triumph. He had fairly earned
IT, and that trapper never molested
him again.
Another hunter finding the string
attached 10 the trigger of his trap gun
cut by wolverine substituted
small chain for the string. The ami
NAL. in attempting 10 cut the chain,
fired of the gun and then carried of
the bait Becoming reckless he after
wards discharged another trap-gun
and was slightly wounded. Enraged
by the smarting pain, he sprung upon
the gun with teeth and claws. tore the
wooden stock almost TO pieces and then
dragged the gun half milo away.
A hunter had killed "A wildcat, and,
being already loaded with as much as
he could carry. he buried the skin deep
in the snow and piled the hole over
with brush, leaving the carcass exposed
near by. When he returned the next
day he found the carcass gone. as he
had expected, but the pile OF brush
looked exactly AS he had left IL. Feel
ing certain that he would find the skin
he dug down and around for several
yards, but unsuccessfully. Seeing
tracks OF wolverine about the spot he
followed them To little cave, where
he found the catslSin intact.
II we compare with these the record
ed exploits OF other quadrupeds we
shall still find the wolverine ahead. A
dog has been known 10 wash from his
Jaws the bloody evidence of a sheep
killing raid; TO spring on a porch, 20
lift window. to enter and ensconce
himself costly by the fire with Am uir
Of artless innocence. Yet no dog has
ever been known 10 close the window
behind him. III he had done 80 IL
would have been no greater evidence
OF sagacity than the skill with which
wolverine fills up pit after he has
robbed il and piles the brush above IL
exactly as he found H. Reynard the
fox. with all his boosted cunning. has
never attained this perfection Of wit
The wolverine occasionally assumes
an attitude that has never been OBJ
served In the case OF any other beast,
unless il be the gorilla or chimpanZee.
When wishing 20 sean AN object care
fully or TO give searching glance
around him, he rises 10 AN almost erect
position and shields his eyes by plac-
ing one OF his paws above them.
Standing In this attitude he is almost
human In aspect. A detective camera
could scarcely be aimed at "A more
striking object. The bright sunlight
especially when reflected from snow.
Is doubtless trying To eyes that are
fitted TO see by night almost rs we'll as
by day.
Tho wolverine. or carcajou. as he is
called In the far north, II classod with
the typical fur-bearing animals. the
best known OF which are the otter the
badger, the sable the crminc. the
skunk. tho weasel and the mink. The
wolverine Is one Of the largest OF the
group. being cxcelled In size by the
otter only. He averages about thirty
inches from muzzle TO root OF TAIL
which last member adds twelve inches
more 20 his length. He Is low In
stature standing not more than eight
or ten inches high, with a long head
and neck and 1.-the body endowed
with surprising strength and agility
IN, r.. l. II ....I ILL. a.. ........lI