he can climb
a tree with almost the ease of a monkey, his chances of escape are
always good.

[Illustration: The lynx is a wonderful swimmer and is dangerous to
tackle in the water, for he can turn with remarkable agility, and board
a canoe in a moment. Of all northern animals he is perhaps the most
silent walker. Though he often behaves like a coward, hunters approach
him with care when he is caught in a steel trap, as he can make a great
spring and when he chooses, can . . . See Chapter III.]

Lynxes mate in March, the young being born about three months later,
the litter consisting of from one to five. The father assists in the
support of the kittens, which are much like those of the domestic cat.
The lynx's coat is gray mottled with brown, but in winter it turns a
lighter colour; in weight he runs from thirty-five to forty-five
pounds. His principal food is derived from rabbits and any other
animals he can kill, from beaver down, as well as grouse, ptarmigan,
and other birds and fowl; occasionally he will tackle the young of
deer, but he never dares to molest man. When his catch is more than
sufficient for his present need, he caches the remainder in snow or
earth for future use. He is as cleanly as a house cat, and his flesh
when cooked resembles a cross between rabbit and veal.

MARTEN TRAPPING

After setting a number of snares for lynxes we resumed our march, and
on rounding the end of a little lake, saw two fresh moose-tracks.
Following them up, we finally came to a park-like region, where was
very little underbrush, and where most of the trees were pine and
spruce--an ideal spot for marten. So Oo-koo-hoo, forgetting all about
his moose-tracks, made ready to set some marten traps.

For one marten an Indian catches in a steel trap he catches a dozen in
wooden deadfalls; but with the white trapper it is different--he relies
chiefly on the steel traps. Steel traps are set either in the open or
in the tracks of the marten in exactly the same way as for foxes, and
either with or without tossing-poles. The largest and best deadfalls
used by the Indians are those they set for bears. The city-dwelling
author, or illustrator, who has not lived in the wilderness, would
never think of depicting an Indian trapper with a big hand-auger
hanging from his belt, perhaps no more than he would depict a pirate
armed with a big Bible; yet, nevertheless, it is a fact that the Indian
trapper nowadays carries an aug