234 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [1885 



Ungava Bay, whicli is an immense pocket toward the eastern portion 

 of the south side of Hudson Strait. At this place I remained from 

 August 0, 1882, to September 4, 1884. 



The southern portions of the country are entirely subarctic in charac- 

 ter, while the northern portions are strictly arctic. 



The topography of the region is so diversified that even a scanty de- 

 scription is impracticable in this connection. 



The climate is scarcely less diverse, the range of the thermometer at 

 Fort Chimo being, for the period mentioned above, 86-^ degrees for the 

 maximum, and just 50 degrees below zero for the minimum, giving a 

 range of 13G.5 degrees for that period. 



Winter begins (zero of temperature) about the 1st of November and 

 continues to the last of April. Snow falls every month iu the year, 

 and the lowest temi^erature of each month in the year is never above 

 the freezing point. The warmest night showed only 54 degrees. Snow 

 remains from the last of September to the end of May; snow-shoes 

 have been used as late as the 19th of May. Rain seldom ftills before 

 the 11th of May, and rarely after the middle of October. 



The limit of trees ceases only 10 miles north of Fort Ohimo. The 

 principal trees are species of Abies, Larix, Betula, Fopulus, Alnus, Salix, 

 and Jmiiperus. The more common flowering i)lants are Anemone, Ranu7i- 

 culus,I)ra1xi, Viola, Arenaria, Stellaria, Lathyrus, Foientilla,Rubus,Bibes, 

 Saxifraga, Epilobium, HereLcleum, Taraxacum, Vaccmmm,Kalmia, Rhodo- 

 dendron, Ledum, Flnguicula, Gentiana, Empetrum, Rabeiiaria, Iris, and 

 Smilacina. 



Of sedges and grasses, Juncus, Scirpus, Eriopliorum, Car ex, Poa, 

 Elymns, and Aira are the more common. 



Of animals, TJrsus maritimus, americanus, and a species of barren- 

 ground bear which I shall not attempt to designate, wolves, foxes, 

 beavers, martens, wolverenes, minks, muskrats, few pekans, otters, por- 

 cupines, hares, rabbits, and many smaller kinds. Reindeer fairly swarm, 

 in the northern portions. Moose are common in the southwestern parts. 



The marine mammals are seals of several species, whales and porpoises 

 of several species, and the walrus. Fishes abound on the coast and in 

 the freshwater lakes and streams. The bird life is abundant in indi- 

 viduals if not in species. Some of the birds which most certainly occur 

 within the territory, yet of which no satisfactory evidence of actual 

 occurrence has been recorded, are with one or two exceptions, omitted for 

 obvious reasons. Tringa maritima, for instance, certainly occurs some- 

 where along the coast, but has not been detected and recorded ; the 

 same with species of Fulix. 



Reference is made to the following authorities, and extracts made 

 without comment or responsibility for their assertions : 



Aiuhilioii, J. J. Uiid.s (>f Amei'ica; seven volumes, published from 1840 to 1844. 

 Niittall. Manual of Oniitliology, 2d edition, 1840. 



Verrill, A. E. Notes on the Natural History of Anticosti, siiumier of 1861. Pro- 

 ceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, vol. ix, pp. 132 to 150, inclusive. 



