oj the Mackenzie River District, 7 



sufficient to arrest its course for a time long enough to permit 

 him to fire, and sometimes several shots are obtained at the same 

 animal in this manner. It is easily killed, a not very heavy blow 

 being sufficient to fracture its skull. 



The colour of the fur varies much with the seasons. In winter 

 the hair is thick, long, and silky. The grey markings are of a 

 dark silver colour, while the rufus undershade is scarcely observa- 

 ble. In some specimens the dark stripe down the back would 

 not disgrace a silver fox. In summer it wears a rusty look, the 

 hair is short and thin ; and there is more rufus and little of the 

 silvery grey in the tints, while the skin is marked with black 

 spots, which serve to distinguish a prime from a common fur, in 

 trading with the Natives. These spots appear generally in April 

 and disappear in November. 



The Lynx is found ail over this District, in greater or lesser 

 numbers, wherever there are trees, even within the Arctic Circle. 

 It is subject, like most of the other Fur Animals, to periodical 

 migrations, which appear to occur with great regularity in periods 

 of ten years, and which in its case depend on the Hare its princi- 

 pal food. One of the most curious of the idiosyncrasies of this 

 animal is its passion for perfumes ; and particularly for the odor 

 of castoreura, which forms the basis of all the " medicines " used 

 by trappers in effecting the capture of the Lynx. 



There are four methods in which the death or capture of the 

 Lynx is effected — by hunting — by the use of the steel-trap, or gin 

 — by the simple snare — and by the medicated cabin : all of which 

 I shall pass briefly in review : — 



By hunting. — In this method the hunter pursues the animal 

 generally aided by a dog, and follows its track in the snow, until 

 he forces it to take refuge in a tree, when it is shot : yet so tena- 

 cious is the death grip of its powerful claws, that it is sometimes 

 necessary for him to fell the tree, in order to obtain the body. 



By the steel-trap. — The gin covered inside the jaws, with a well 

 fitting "pallet" of birch bark, is placed indifferently either under 

 or upon the snow, and on the pallet a piece of hair skin, well 

 rubbed with the ' medicine ' is tied. The Lynx on scenting his 

 favourite perfume endeavours to withdraw the skin with his paw, 

 and consequently springs the trap. It does not, like most of the 

 other fur animals drag the trap to a distance, or make violent 

 efforts to escape, it generally lies down until aroused by the ap- 



