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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



thrush, redstart, and olive-I)acked 

 thrush. 



Below the delta the combined stream, 

 here called the Slave, turns abruptly 

 northward and flows for a distance of 

 about 70 mi. in a general northerly direc- 

 tion to the Smith Rapids. It is a broad, 

 rather deep stream with a moderate cur- 

 rent, and its low banks are well wooded. 

 In latitude 60° it cuts through ' 'a gneissic 

 spur from the Luarentian district to the 

 east," forming the Smith Rapids, some 

 16 mi. in length. Below here it flows in a 

 rather irregular manner for about 175 

 mi. in a general northwesterly direc- 

 tion to Great Slave Lake. In this 

 stretch it has an average width of about 

 half a mile, and its banks are high at 

 first, but gradually diminish. The coun- 

 try bordering it is level and mainly 

 well wooded, but to the west are exten- 

 sive tracts of prairie, especially in the 

 region of Salt River, its principal tribu- 

 tary. Slave River enters Great Slave 

 Lake through an extensive delta, in 

 forming which it has silted up an ex- 

 tensive arm of the lake. Its breeding 

 birds are practically the same as those 

 of the Athabaska delta. 



The Peace River Valley, as here con- 

 sidered, exhibits the greatest diversity 

 of climatic conditions at the same 

 season of any of the regions now under 

 discussion. Its extreme upper portion, 

 lying at a comparatively low altitude 

 and near the Pacific, has a relatively 

 mild winter climate, while its lower 

 part at the same season is surrounded by 

 almost Arctic conditions. Its middle 

 part, just east of the mountains, seems 

 to be characterized by violent extremes 

 of temperature. 



Preserved areas: Wood Buffalo Park: 

 An area lying west of Slave River, partly 

 in Alberta and partly in Mackenzie, 

 known by this name, was set aside in 

 December, 1922, as a Preserve for the 

 resident herds of the northern race, 

 known as the wood buffalo, which now 

 constitute the only wild specimens of 

 this race in existence. This area, which 

 includes the entire ranges of the two 

 aggregations of herds, covers an area of 



about 10,000 sq. mi. It covers that part 

 of the primitive range of this northern 

 race, formerly much more wide-spread, 

 on which it has been able longest to 

 maintain itself against the persecution 

 attendant on the partial settlement of 

 the country, and which therefore may be 

 considered as the most favorable portion 

 of that range under modern conditions. 

 It contains considerable wooded and 

 swampy country, but is mainly charac- 

 terized by its areas of meadow and 

 prairie and sparsely-wooded glades. 

 The number of the animals now remain- 

 ing is not definitely known, but prob- 

 ably numbers several hundred. Many 

 moose, a few woodland caribou, and 

 many fur-bearers, besides grouse, ducks, 

 and the usual birds of the country, 

 abound on this area. These may still be 

 hunted by the natives. 



The buffalo has been protected on this 

 area for about 20 years, but the estab- 

 lishment of this preserve, with its attend- 

 ant warden service, should ensure the 

 continued increase of these unique 

 herds, which under the inadequate 

 protection which has heretofore been 

 possible, have not increased as they 

 should. 



Slave River Preserve : This area, which 

 contains about 2200 sq. mi., includes a 

 broad strip of country bordering the 

 lower part of Slave River, and adjoining 

 the Wood Buffalo Park for some dis- 

 tance. The country is mostly low and 

 swampy, and comprises the delta of 

 Slave River and the area between that 

 and the Taltson, and is the breeding 

 ground of thousands of geese, ducks, 

 rails, cranes, and other water birds, and 

 is also the resort in spring and autumn 

 of vast numbers of the same and other 

 species, where they linger to rest and 

 feed while on their migrations to and 

 from their more northern breeding 

 grounds. Natives only are allowed to 

 hunt on this area. 



D. Great Slave Lake. Great Slave 

 Lake is said by McConnell to have a 

 superficial area, including islands, of 

 about 10,400 sq. mi., and thus to 

 rank fifth among the great lakes of the 



