282 NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE 



NATU RA L HISTORY 



Some Retnarh on the Natural History of Beaver Isjaiids, Michigan. 



BY JAMES J. STRANG. 



Saint James, Beaver Island, December 7, 1853. 



Secretary of Smkhso7iia7i Institution : 



I have prepared for your use the following lists of animals, plants, 



&c., found upon the "Beaver Islands," in Lake Michigan, which I beg 



to submit to you. I am aware that these lists are quite imperfect, but 



hope they will serve some useful purpose until better can be prepared. 



Truly and sincerely, vours, 



JAMES J. STRANG. 



DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 

 Horses, oxen, sheep, swine, dogs, cats. 



WILD ANIMALS. 



Foxes, red, quite numerous. 



Foxes, black, scarce; silver grey, very rare. Some hunters assert 

 that these are the same variety, the colour only distinguishing the sex. 

 The silver grey is the most valuable fur in market, a single skin being 

 priced at more than fifty dollars. 



Hare, or rabbit. Two species, large and small. 



Chipmunk, or red ground-squirrel. 



Otter, very scarce. 



The beaver are extinct. Caribou, or reindeer, range as far south as 

 here, but visit the islands only on the ice, and very rarely. Elk are 

 found on the east shore, and bears on both. American deer are found 

 as near as Green Bay and Manistee river, piloting civilization. 



BIRDS. 



Geese, brant, duck (numerous varieties), loons, gulls (two varieties), 

 crows, hawks, (several varieties), woodcock, pigeons, blackbird, robin, 

 redheaded woodpecker, snipe, snowbird, pewee. 



FISHES. 



In some of the small streams on the mainland "brook trout" are 

 found in abundance. Most of the streams are destitute of them, but 

 abound in other fish, the names of which I do not know. 



