94 Land Magnetic Observations, 1911-13 



separately and along the coast. Their tracks, however, were noticed on the Severn River 

 as far south as the Pettikau. 



Contrary to other reports of this region, red deer were seen at Cat Lake and 2 were 

 seen between Cat I^ake and Pakhoan Lake. Moose seemed very plentiful all along the 

 Albany and Root rivers and on Lake St. Joseph, and on Cat River about as far north as 

 Cat Lake if one might judge from the tracks. We were told by Mr. Gordon, the Hudson's 

 Bay Company's factor at Fort Hope, that the moose seemed to be going farther north the 

 last few years. Foxes were found specially numerous along the coast, where one might even 

 run across a litter of young near the beach. Occasionally a ground hog was seen on the trip 

 between Cat and Trout lakes, but nowhere else. Beaver-dams often obstructed the smaller 

 streams and had to be destroyed to allow the passage of the canoes. Muskrat-houses were 

 plentiful in the low grass and water growths of the streams. By far the most numerous of 

 the animals were the rabbits, and they are probably the most useful to the Indians, as they 

 are easily taken all the year, and provide food, clothing, and blankets. All the squirrels 

 seen were red pine or ground ; no gray squirrels were noticed. Chipmunks were plentiful . 



Among the birds, robins, whisky-jacks, sparrows, ravens, loons, ducks, sandpipers, 

 yellowlegs, and gulls were found in all parts of the district traversed. The ducks, yellow- 

 legs, and gulls were most plentiful along the coast, where they were found in large numbers 

 and many varieties. Ptarmigan were also plentiful along the coast. Two varieties of 

 partridge were encountered along the rivers inland. A few geese and wavies were seen, but 

 we had left the coast before they began to come down in any considerable numbers. Other 

 birds noticed at various places were the bluejay, yellowhammer, woodcock, red-headed wood- 

 pecker, several varieties of hawks, several varieties of owls, sea swallows, kingfishers, night- 

 hawks, etc. 



Mosquitoes and gnats and a sort of large gad-fly were vicious, particularly between Cat 

 Lake and Fort Severn. We understood that the cold snaps of spring had kept them down, 

 and, except in the region mentioned, we did not suffer much from them. There were very 

 many varieties of insects, beetles, ants, waterbugs, etc., and a whole season could have been 

 profitably spent by an entomologist in the region. We found snakes only on the Albany. 

 They are so scarce that our Indians had never seen any before. 



Meteorological conditions. Out of a total of 162 days from the time of leaving Washing- 

 ton till our return, there were only .30 clear days, namely: May 19, 25, 27; June 8, 9, 10, 19, 

 20; July 4, 10, 11, 14, 19, 23, 29; August 10, 11, 14, 18, 24, 27; September 5, 8, 9, 14, 17, 18, 

 30; October 15, 18. Rain occurred on the following days: May 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 

 29, 31 ; June 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30; July 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 

 16, 17, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30; August 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 

 30; September 1, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26; October 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 

 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, making a total of 85 days, or a little over half. There may have been 

 some rain on other nights that was not noticed. Snow fell on the following daj^s : May 23, 

 24 (heavy); June 6, 7; heavy hail June 15; September 13; heavy on September 20, 21, and 

 22; moderate on September 23, 26; October 5, 6, 11, 12, 20. There were heavy thunder- 

 storms on May 31; June 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23; July 8, 17, 30; August 21; September 7, and 

 October 10. The first freeze in still water was noticed on the night of August 24-25. 



A great barrier of floating ice lay offshore on Hudson Bay from the time we struck 

 the coast July 17 till we rounded Cape Henrietta Maria August 15, and it continued some 

 distance into James Bay. It was much broken up and kept from 1 to 6 miles offshore, but 

 sometimes was driven close inshore. The constant winds from these icefields made it very 

 damp and cold, and the effect was very noticeable on the branches of the Severn, even be- 

 tween Trout and Windigo lakes. 



