NORTH AMERICA AND THE WEST INDIES 57 



according to his guide "there were a few beavers left above the 

 forks of the river and that they live in holes in the river bank." 

 Dr. R. M. Anderson (1939a) states that though formerly 

 common in the wooded parts of the Province of Quebec it is 

 trapped out in most localities. However, "some projects for 

 restoration of the beaver by setting aside preserves have been 

 gratify ingly successful, particularly in the regions south and 

 east of James Bay." Although beavers have been trapped in 

 this region for nearly three centuries, since the establishment 

 of the posts of the Hudson's Bay Company, they appear to 

 exist in reduced numbers to this day. Preble (1902) writes, 

 however, that owing to persistent trapping they were "becom- 

 ing scarce throughout the region" over 30 years ago, although 

 skins were annually traded at the Company's posts on the 

 coasts of Hudson Bay. He noted "the remains of a beaver 

 house between Pine and Windy lakes and a comparatively 

 recent dam on a small stream which empties into Hayes River 

 about 15 miles above York Factory. A number of skins were 

 seen at Fort Churchill. These had been taken on the Lower 

 Churchill River. Several black pelts were among the furs at 

 Norway House." He mentions further that "Dr. Bell reports 

 that a family of beavers was found by Indians on North 

 River, a stream that flows into the Bay about 15 miles above 

 Fort Churchill"; and that according to Hearne's account of 

 his explorations in this region, published in 1795, the Indians 

 accompanying him killed beavers on Seal River, the mouth of 

 which is about 40 miles north of Churchill. This marks perhaps 

 nearly the northern limit of the beaver on the west side of Hud- 

 son Bay; of its northward limits on the east side of the Bay no 

 recent information is at hand. Low, writing in 1895, after 

 traversing parts of northern Labrador, says that it is common 

 in the wooded regions and extends into the semibarrens where 

 food is available. 



As to the recent status of beavers in the Athabaska-Macken- 

 zie region still farther west, Preble (1908) has given a brief 

 review. He quotes J. Alden Loring that in 1896 evidence was 

 obtained of the former abundance of the beaver in suitable 

 localities in western Alberta, but at that time it was nearly 

 exterminated; tracks were seen on a small stream between 

 Jasper House and Smoky River, but no other recent traces of 

 the animals were found. Farther north it was formerly abun- 



