THE GAME ANIMALS OF CANADA ol 
much less abundant, and, indeed, remarkably scarce in many parts, es- 
pecially along the Athabaska, Peace, Liard, and other rivers, and the large 
lakes of the North. As moose have since been found more or less plenti- 
ful in the eastern, western, and southern sections of the territory where 
for many years previously they were rather rare or conspicuous by their 
absence, it is now supposed by some observing natives and others that 
considerable numbers of them must have migrated southward, partic- 
ularly during the remarkably mild winter of 1877-78. Be that as it 
may, it has been noticed that at intervals, and for several years at a 
time, this animal has been rather scarce in various sections where it had 
formerly been fairly abundant. 
One of the chief factors that have been responsible for 
the disappearance or reduction in numbers of moose in many 
parts of the Northwest Territories has been the destruc- 
tion of their former haunts by extensive forest fires, which, 
as I have repeatedly pointed out, constitute one of the 
chief means of destroying the haunts of big game and fur- 
bearing animals. 
A very complete account of the history and distribution 
of the moose in the Northwest Territories is given by 
Preble in his unusually valuable memoir on the mammals 
of the Athabaska-Mackenzie region.* The following ex- 
tracts are taken from the account he gives of his own ob- 
servations and those of other travellers and explorers: 
“The moose occurs throughout the Athabaska and Mac- 
kenzie region north to the limit of trees.”’ In 1901 it was 
recorded near Boiler Rapid, Athabaska River. Tracks of 
. moose were seen on Slave River, ten miles below the mouth 
of the Peace, and on the islands between there and Smith 
Landing. Tracks were also seen while descending the 
Athabaska and Slave Rivers to Great Slave Lake. ‘‘In the 
lake country between Fort Rae and Great Bear Lake... 
the moose was found to be rather common and became more 
* “A Biological Investigation of the Athabaska-Mackenzie Region,” North 
American Fauna, No. 27, Biological Survey, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
1908. 
