490 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 





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FOOTPRINTS O!" 'inK VARYING HARK, OR SNOWSllOK RARl'.TT 



The great size of the feet from wliicli the creature is named is a strong- feature of the track, 

 distinguishing it from tiiat of the cottontail and others (see pages 4S9 and 507) 



bers that the}' are an important source of food 

 supply both to the Indians and to such preda- 

 tory birds and mammals as the great horned 

 and snowy owls, the goshawk, gyrfalcon, lynx, 

 fox, ermine, fisher, and others. The skins are 

 also used by the Indians for robes. 



Under favorable conditions they steadily in- 

 crease until they become enormously plentiful 



over great areas. After this swarming abun- 

 dance continues for several seasons it reaches 

 a maximum, and then, as in the case of many 

 other mannnals when similarly overabundant, 

 a mysterious malady suddenly attacks and 

 sweejis them off, until within a year or two they 

 iiecome rare o\cr the entire area. Tlie people 

 of the fur c;:unlry believe these changes in 



