No. II. MAMMALIA. L93 



sailor of the ship. This animal is infested by a species of 

 Taenia, 



2. Volpes lagopus {Linn,) -The Arctic fox decreases 

 in numbers as we proceed up Smith Sound. One was shol 

 on the ice near Victoria Head, Grinnell Land, while prowl- 

 ing around the ship, and more than one specimen was 

 obtained near the winter-quarters of the ' Discovery.' At 

 Floeberg Beach, the winter-quarters of the 'Alert,' footprints 

 of the fox were occasionally seen in the snow, but it was nol 

 till July 13, 187b', that I obtained a specimen in the flesh* 

 On that occasion Lieutenant Parr and I were out on a hunting 

 expedition, our tent being pitched at Dumbell Harbour, 

 some miles north of Floeberg Beach, and from it we made 

 daily incursions up the valleys leading to the uplands in 

 hopes of meeting with big game. On the date above men- 

 tioned we had ascended to an altitude of 800 feet above the 

 sea, and had emerged on a great plateau which stretched for 

 several miles towards a range of mountains. All of a sudden 

 we were startled by the sharp bark of a fox. A year had 

 elapsed since we had heard such a sound. It seemed very 

 close to us, and as the fog lifted we saw the animal standing 

 on a little hill of piled-up rocks that rose like an islet from 

 the plain. Separating, we approached the fox from opposite 

 directions. Parr fired at it, when it dropped down and 

 crawled below some large rocks ; out rushed the female from 

 its lair, and we secured her. The flora in the. neighbourhood 

 of this den was remarkably rich, the soil having been fertilised 

 by the presence of the foxes. Several saxifrages, a Stellaria, a 

 Draba, and two or three kinds of grasses were in bloom, and 

 the yellow blossom of the Potentilla brightened the spot. As 

 we rested there, many lemmings popped up from their holes, 

 and undismayed by our presence, commenced feeding on the 

 plants. We noticed that numerous dead lemmings were 

 scattered around. In every case they had been killed in the 

 same manner, the sharp canine teeth of the foxes had 

 penetrated the brain. Presently we came upon two ermines 

 killed in the same manner. These were joyful prizes, for up 

 VOL. II. 



