2 4 8 EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



have been seen twenty miles north of Grinnell Land in latitude 

 83 10' N. 1 



One specimen; Rae, March 20th, 1894. 



Lepus americanus Erx. Varying Hare. 



Wa-pus, C. Ka, D. R. Ke, L. Ka, S. 



The northern hare makes a complete change of pelage in 

 winter throughout this region. Specimens from the Saskatche- 

 wan do not differ from others taken at Rae. As it is a well 

 known species, no detailed description need be given. The 

 rabbit, as it is called, has been of inestimable value to the in- 

 habitants of the north, both white and red. When the fishery 

 fails, or the "deer" migrate by a different route, the only 

 resource is the rabbit snare to save them from starvation. The 

 northern hare is subject to periodic epidemics which kill im- 

 mense numbers of them. They seemed equally common during 

 the winters of 1892-3 and 1893-4; the natives at different posts 

 gave different dates as the year of greatest abundance, so that 

 I am inclined to think that they do not increase and decrease 

 simultaneously over the whole region, but that it is by periods 

 of seven years each all seemed agreed. 2 



I was in the bush almost every da)', yet in summer I saw 

 very few hares. At the time of their autumnal change of color, 

 they are very conspicuous for a few days before the snow ap- 

 pears, though the transformation is very quickly accomplished. 3 



They are caught in snares made from " jackfish twine." The 

 noose is set across their run ways, the upper end of the twine 

 being attached to a springe or a pole used as a weight which is 

 balanced over a convenient limb for a fulcrum and held down 

 by passing the twine under a prostrate young pine which also 

 serves to keep the animal in the path. As soon as the noose 

 pulls enough to turn down the stick which is tied in the twine 

 it is tripped and the hare is caught either by the neck or hind 

 foot, and lifted four or five feet in the air. 



The skin of the northern hare, while it has no commercial 



1 Fielden, Zoologist, Vol. I, 3rd Series, p. 353. 



8 They are said, by Richardson, to die after a wet summer. Parry* s Second 

 Voyage, p. 326. 



3 See J. A. Allen, On the Seasonal Change of Color in the Varying Hare. 

 Bull. Am. Museum Nat. Hist., Vol. VI, p. 107-28. 



