FLUCTUATIONS OF FUR-BEARING ANIMALS 215 
ground in many places not quite pleasant to see.”” Falcons 
were visibly more numerous and owls had increased some- 
what. A bear killed on the journey was full of mice. 
Foxes were abundant, but caribou were still scarce. On 
the next visit to Labrador in the spring of 1906 the mice 
had disappeared with the snow. The accompanying change 
in the wild life was remarkable. ‘‘The falcon cliffs were 
deserted, coast and inland.” Ptarmigan were very scarce. 
In the previous years these game-birds had enjoyed some 
respite owing to the abundance of mice, and their conse- 
quent freedom from the depredations of the predatory 
birds, but, with the disappearance of the mice, they were 
harried to death. For the first time the hunting-cry of 
wolves was heard at nights, as they sought the caribou in 
the absence of the more abundant smaller animals. As 
Cabot says: ‘‘The bearing of the mouse situation on the 
human interests of the region is easy to see. It affected all 
the game, food game and fur. The abundance of mice 
tended to build up the ptarmigan, which are of vital impor- 
tance in the winter living of the Indians through the whole 
forested area to the Gulf. Likewise it built up the caribou 
herd by providing easier game than they for the wolves.” 
The periodic increase and decrease in the abundance of 
our wild life has a very important economic aspect. It not 
only affects the life of the Indians and other inhabitants of 
the north, but also affects the output of furs, the chief 
natural resource of the greater part of the country. The 
extent to which the fur trade fluctuates is strikingly shown 
in the fur returns from year to year. Through the kindness 
of Mr. W. H. Bacon, late fur commissioner of the Hudson’s 
Bay Company, I have been able to obtain the fur returns 
of that company covering a long period of years, from 1821 
to 1914. As this is the chief company obtaining furs in 
Canada, with posts distributed throughout the country, 
and particularly in the north, where wild-life conditions are 
