100 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIV. 



How a Young Puppy Avoided Starvation. 

 The Clearwater river, which enters the Athabasca 

 at Fort McMurray, Alta., is from its mouth as far 

 as Portage la Loche, a comparatively well-travelled 

 canoe route. Several canoes at least will pass up 

 and down its waters each month of navigation. This 

 portion of the river was formerly an important link 

 in the line of travel between the Churchill and 

 Mackenzie river districts and is still largely travelled. 

 Above Portage la Loche, however, the river is 

 rarely used, the Swan lake Indians being practically 

 the only travellers. These people inhabit the region 

 about Swan lake at the headwaters of the river up 

 in the granite area, and come down once a year 

 to trade at Methye lake. 



While on this upper portion of the Clearwater 

 last summer, the writer came across an interestmg 

 example of how necessity can change the food 

 habits of the domestic dog. On one of the port- 

 ages at some little distance from the trail, a whmmg 

 sound was heard, and on closer investigation a 

 young puppy was discovered apparently not over 

 three months old. In all probability he could not 

 be found when the Indians moved their camp, as 

 dogs in that country are too valuable to be volun- 

 tarily abandoned. Pathos was lent to the scene 

 when he was discovered lying on a new Indiar 

 grave, which had been excavated laboriously by a 

 wooden pick and shovel. These, as well as a 

 motley array of ancient pails and cans, had beer, 

 left on the grave, while nearby was a small bottle 

 filled with water hung from a branch to ward off evil 

 spirits. We afterwards learned that the Indians 

 had left for their homes at Swan lake nearly two 

 months before, and in all probability had been absent 

 from the portage at least six weeks. The degree of 

 slumping of the earth on the grave lent corrobora- 

 tion to this estimate. Apparently the puppy had 

 lived on his own resources for that time. Con- 

 siderable coaxing was required to gain his confidence 

 so that he could be approached, but having done 

 so, we were surprised to find that he was in much 

 better condition than might have been expected. 

 To one accustomed to seeing the gaunt, starving 

 spectres of that country, which hang about the 

 camps, stealing every possible scrap of food, the ap- 

 pearance of this little fellow, in an unhabited coun- 

 try, only a few weeks old, and whom one would 

 not expect to know how to forage for himself, was 

 quite remarkable. Upon closer investigation, it was 

 found that he had changed his normal diet en- 

 tirely, and, copying his cousin bruin, had become a 

 berry eater. The country over which the portage 

 passes is a burnt jackpine plain where blueberries 



These fruits the young dog was eating constantly, 

 and he continued to do so, even after we had given 

 him, as we thought ,a square meal of rice and meat 

 scraps. Apparently he had become much addicted 

 to his new diet. As he had made such a game 

 ?truggle for existence, and as the autumn frosts would 

 soon render his food supply precarious, we took him 

 along until we reached the first Indian encampment 

 on our return journey. Although well fed, when- 

 ever we landed, he would jump ashore and com- 

 mence hunting for berries. One wonders why more 

 dogs in that country do not take advantage of this 

 kind of food, but such occurrences seem uncommon. 

 It may be added that kindness is as effective with 

 the Indian's dog as with the most pampered poodle. 

 The average dog of the north country, kicked, 

 clubbed, and whipped from puppyhood, can scarcely 

 be blamed for occasionally biting even the hand 

 that attempts to pat or feed it. Although with us 

 a very short time, this little dog was very affection- 

 ate and, as we paddled away, eluded the hands of 

 the Indians to whom he had been given, jumped 

 into the river and swam after us, and had to be re- 

 turned forcibly to their keeping. 



E. J. Whittaker. 



Since mentioning the admirable work of Hamil- 

 ton Laing m the Nature column of the Toronto 

 Globe, (Can. Field Nat., xxxiii., p. 99). I have 

 had my attention called to another similar writer in 

 the Dail^ Province, Vancouver, B.C., J. W. Win- 

 son who under the nom-de-plume of "Wild-wood" 

 contributes a series of articles entitled Open-air 

 Jottings. These are a little more purely literary 

 than those mentioned before but breath a wholesome 

 out-of-doors spirit that is refreshing. They may 

 not contain much information that is new to science 

 but they present commonplace every day activities 

 of wild and semi-wild things in an interesting light 

 and must have a decided influence in educating the 

 eyes of the indifferent to the wonders about them. 

 If is to be regretted that the author does not boldly 

 sign his own name. There is so much nature fakery 

 that it is only due the public to let them know 

 who they are listening to so they may judge author- 

 itatively. 



P. A. Taverner. 



and low bush cranberries grow in great profusion. 



A Spider New to Canada. ^At Lake Missa- 

 nog, Frontenac Co., Ontario, on September 13th, 

 1919, I collected specimens of Drapetisca socialis, 

 a little spider which runs about on the trunks of 

 trees. Mr. J. H. Emerton, who kindly determined 

 the specimens of this species, informs me that these 

 ^nadian specimens Jie has seen. 



A. Brooker Klugh. 



