226 CONSERVATION OF CANADIAN WILD LIFE 
While the difference between maximum and minimum 
abundance does not appear to be great, it is not unlikely 
that there is a distinct natural periodic cycle in the abun- 
dance of wolves. 
Marten.—After the lynx the marten shows the most pro- 
nounced periodic fluctuations of all our native mammals. 
MacFarlane states: ‘‘This is probably the most constant of 
the ‘periodic’ fur-bearing animals, whose presence in con- 
siderable numbers is very largely dependent upon a great 
abundance of hares or rabbits, though mice also form an 
important item of marten diet... . In years of plenty, 
the marten is very numerous throughout the entire northern 
forest region; but it is not uniformly so at the same time 
in every section of the country all over the immense terri- 
tories covered by the Hudson’s Bay Company’s trading 
operations. When it is abundant or scarce, say in the 
northern and western departments, it will generally be found 
that there is an important and corresponding increase or 
decrease in the southern and Montreal departments. The 
natives maintain that lynxes and martens migrate from the 
north and west to the east and south, and that when they 
have attained their highest in numbers for several seasons 
the great bulk (no section is ever totally devoid of mar- 
tens) of those who escape capture resume the return march 
until the next period of protracted migration. It must be 
admitted that many old fur traders have come to enter- 
tain similar views from their own personal experience and 
observation. Of course there are post, district and de- 
partmental fluctuations in annual results, caused by local 
epidemics among the hunters and other relative reasons.”’ 
That the migration theory is widely held by fur traders is 
further shown by the statement of Mr. T. K. MacDonald 
of Winnipeg, after thirty-five years’ experience as a chief 
trader of the Hudson’s Bay Company, quoted by Seton.* 
*“Vife-Histories of Northern Mammals,”’ vol. II, p. 907, 
