264 



NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



of the province. Thence the boundary 

 with the northern coniferous forest 

 follows roughly a line north through 

 Molson on the C. P. R. to Ft. Alexander 

 at the mouth of the Winnipeg river. 

 From this point the line crosses Lake 

 \\innipeg to Washow Bay on the west 

 sliore and continues north and west 

 around the north of Lake St. Martin to 

 the foot of Lake Winnipegosis. Cross- 

 ing Winnipegosis near Red Deer Point 

 the base of the Porcupine highland is 

 reached near Norva on the C. N. R. 

 The trees are mainlj^ aspen and balsam 

 l)oplar. Scrub white oak is sometimes 

 found. This area together with the 

 prairies is the agricultural section of the 

 Province and contains the bulk of the 

 population. 



S. The Northern Coniferous Forest 



North of the transitional area the 

 northern coniferous forest formation 

 appears and occupies the northern part 

 of the province practically to Hudson 

 Bay. The climax trees are the white 

 spruce (Picea canadensis), black spruce 

 {Picia mariana), balsam {Ahies bal- 

 samia), paper birch {Betula papyrifera) , 

 aspen {Popuhis tremuloides) , and balsam 

 poplar (Pop'ulus balsamifera) . Along 

 the southern border flood plains are 

 characterized by the green ash {Fraxirius 

 lanceolata), Manitoba maple, American 

 elm {Ulmus americana), and willows. 

 Jack pine {Pinus divaricata), is found 

 on sand plains and areas of poor soils. 

 Larch {Larix laricina), and black spruce 

 occur in the swamps. Outlying areas 

 of this forest occur along the Manitoba 

 escarpment upon the Riding, Duck, and 

 Porcupine Mountains. These areas 

 have been incorporated into forest 

 reserves and are easily accessible. 



The characteristic mammals of the 

 northern forest are the moose {Alces 

 americana), black and cinnamon bear 

 {Ursus americanus), timber wolf (Canis 

 occidentalis), red fox (Vulpes fulva), 

 beaver {Castor canadensis), muskrat 

 (Ondatra zibethica), mink {Mustela vison 

 group), lynx {Lt/hx canadensis), otter 

 {Lutra canadensis), fisher {Maries pen- 



nanti), marten {Martes americana), 

 snowshoe hare {Lepus americanus), red 

 squirrel {Sciurus hudsonicus), skunk 

 {Mephitis hudsonica), and weasel {Mus- 

 tela cicognanii). For further informa- 

 tion see Seton's Life Histories of North- 

 ern Animals (Scribner's). Waterfowl 

 are still plentiful in the valley of the 

 lower Saskatchewan river and in the 

 level plain about the Winnipeg system 

 of lakes. Hawks, owls, and partridge 

 are numerous. Deer are not numerous 

 except along the south border of the 

 forest country. Whitefish and lake 

 trout occur in most of the larger lakes. 

 Sturgeon are fairly plentiful. Pike, 

 pickerel, and suckers abound. 



4. Tundras 



The extreme northern portion of the 

 province extends beyond the coniferous 

 forest into the Arctic tundra. The 

 barren ground caribou {Rangifer) are 

 plentiful, ranging south to Reindeer, 

 South Indian and Split lakes. 



IV. NATURAL AREAS 



* Riding Mountain Forest Reserve. 

 (B2.) Area 1000 sq. mi. A rolling 

 drift-covered plateau. The sharply dis- 

 sected eastern slopes rise steeply from 

 the Agassiz plain at 900 ft. to elevations 

 of 2500 ft. The western slopes fall 

 gently to the level of the Cretaceous 

 plain at 1400 ft. The elevation is 

 covered by northern coniferous forest 

 and is surrounded at the base by poplar 

 savanna. In addition to the climax 

 trees mountain maple {Acer spicatum), 

 hazel {Corylus americana), alder, pin 

 cherry {Primus pennsylvanica) and 

 mountain ash {Sorbus sp.) are found 

 as an understory usually in the poplar 

 and spruce association. Glacial pot- 

 holes and poorly drained depressions 

 are occupied by sphagnum swamps. 

 Meadows and sloughs are frequent. 

 Elk are present in this area in addition 

 to moose, deer, and bear. Natural 

 conditions have been interfered with to 

 some extent by fire and lumbering. 



The reserve is administered by the 

 Dominion Forestry Branch with office 



