NO. 1405. MAMMA LS OF .YOR THWEST TERRITORIES— MA CFARLANE. 711 



the Northwest Compaii}' of Montreal in 1821, to 1903, a period of 

 eightT-two years, this opinion would probabl}^ receive further con- 

 firmation. 



In this connection, native allegation in respect to a corresponding 

 increase and decrease in the birth rate of the marten and other "peri- 

 odic" and migratory species may be worth}" of a little attention from 

 interested naturalists. The following comparison of the yearly Lon- 

 don sales of this pelt may help any such in enabling them to arrive at 

 a better understanding of the subject, and for this purpose, sales 

 exceeding 100,000 will be classitied as "good" and under that figure 

 as "lean" years. To begin with, we have two of the latter — 1853 

 with a sale of 73,050 skins, and 1851 with 91,882. 1 have reason to 

 believe that the three preceding years (1852, 1851, and 1850) would 

 come under the same grouping, while the live previous (1819, 1848, 

 1817, 1816, and 1815) should be considered as "good" years. Then we 

 have six of the same description, two of which, 1856 with 179,736, and 

 1857 with 171,022 skins, were probably the best ever realized by the 

 Hudson's Bay Company from incorporation in 1670 to the present 

 time. The other four "good" years' sales were 137,009 skins in 1855, 

 138,535 in 1858, 139,121 in 1859, and 102,235 in 1860. These six years 

 were succeeded by only three " lean" years (1861 with 74,738, 1862 with 

 80,484, and 1863 with 79,979), which were innnediately followed by 

 five "good" years— 1864 with 112,396, 1865 with 124,830, 1866 with 

 112,970, 1867 with 126,616, and 1868 with 106,784 skins. Then came 

 no less than eight successive "lean" 3''ears' sales (1869 to 1877), having 

 but one bright break, in 1875, when the sale amounted to 131,170 skins. 

 I think the best since the transfer of the country to Canada was in 1870. 

 The total for each of the eight years last mentioned was 81,706, 52,308, 

 55,453, 60,455, 66,841 , 66,750, 83,439, and 81,174, respectively. The 

 aggregate total sales of martens for the twenty -five year.s amounted to 

 no less than 2,590,691 skins. In 1902, the company sold 56,491, and 

 in 1903, 78,629 marten skins in London. 



The two best and most successful months for the trapping of this 

 valuable animal are November and March, while comparatively few 

 are taken during December, January, February, and April. Severeh'^ 

 cold weather is not a favorable factor in hunting, for the reason that 

 at such times martens do not roam as much as on other occasions. 

 The sexes begin to copulate in Februar}^ and the process is continued 

 to the end of March, according to situation or other circumstances. 

 For some time afterwards, martens are more easily captured than at 

 almost any other period of the season. The 3'oung are blind and 

 helpless when born, but shortly acquire sight and strength. The}^ 

 make their nests in hollow trees, or under fallen timber, and in holes 

 in the ground. 



Comparatively few skins were obtained from the countr}- north of 



