New-York tribune., 1911-11-19
SUB-ARCTIC SPORT
A Naturalist Observations Of
Wild Life.

THE WILDERNESS or THE CTPER
YUKON. 4 Hunters Explorations .'i
wild 81 oep in Sub-ArCuc Mountains.
BY Charles sheldon Illustrated. $50.
pu. xxi, 81. Ihar'ca Ssrhn"I's Sore
This book is Il notably fresh and in
teresting addition TO a class of literature
which has always counted many able
men among it's contributors. Mr. Shcl-
don makes his reader sec what ne de
scribes. whether it bc the wilderness Of
the Far North or the habits of its
fauna. the ways Of the sportsman u IN
camp and on the trail or the moods OF
Nature toward the intruder on her do
main. This vivid impression is pro-
duced by apparently the simplest means
af straight narrative. Their" is no striv-
ing after fine writing after pen pct
ures": If the production of the book has
cost it's author much hard work the cf-
fort is not discernible in the reading.
Here is a pleasant companion. talking
with unaffected interest of what lo
loves: an enthusiastic and experienced
hunter and a true lover Of nature re-
counting for the benefit of others the in
tense delights of body and mind OF his
explorations. undertakcn first of all, for
a scientific purpose
MIR. Sheldon went into the Yukon coun-
try for the purpose of studying the va
riation. habits and distribution of the
wild sheep of the Far Northern wilder
ness, Of which biologists knew compara-
lively little. color variations in the
species being his chief interest He
achieved his purpose and has rendered
service 10 American natural history.
But what is more to the point. 50 FAR
as the general reader is concerned. he
used his trained eyes to excellent gen
eral purpose. bringing back with nm,
aside from his descriptions of majestic
yirgin soil series Of observations OF
the ways of other wild animals that IS
decidedly worth while He made the trip
in the company of Mr.. Wilfred II. Os-
good. Of the Biological Survey, and of
Mr. carl Rungius. the animal painter.
who contributes several illustrations IN
colors and black and white to his pages.
The famous SelOuS was WIFI ''i'ii A'i
a while, but Mr.. Sheldon always hunted
alone. One of the best bits of descrip-
tion in his book by the way. is that Of
Mr.. Selous stalking a black bear.
The observations of the ways Of wild
animals are captivating. the authors de-
ductions convincing. He tells OF the ac-
tions of "A grizzly bear cub in his pres
ence. It undoubtedly could not have
cognizance of man. since it had been
born the winter before. II showed no
fear at the sight Of him, but reared and
began to spit the moment it could smell
him:
Fear Of the odor Of man was clearly an
Instinct. What was the origin of this in
stinct? Surely. I'm that remote part of the
country. the cubs ancestors could not have
cxUerienced fear of the scent Of man for
generations numerous enough to have the
trait registered. SO that Il was transmitted
by heredity. This would require frequent
repetItious Of the experience through many
generations. and Il is not reasonable 10 be-
licVc this possible. In my opinion. this IN
stinct had its origin i'm a period so remote
IN the past that we have no facts nj all 10
explain it. 49, The instinct may in
clude the fear Of any strange smell as hos
tile
While on this subject it may bc of in
terest 10 quote Mr. Sheldon's observa-
tiol, made elsewhere in his book, that
the Indians dogs resent the odor of the
white man as aggressively as ours re-