The Nipigon Timber Reserve. 



119 



fords splendid grazing ground for these large animals. Small 

 shrubs are plentiful, while the moss tor the ear.bou .s found cov- 

 ering large areas. 



The smaller fur-bearing animals, such as mink, otter, bea- 

 ver martin, muskrat and fox are plentiful, and are trapped m 

 large nnnAers by the Indians for the Hudson Bay Con,pauy, 



One curious fact in regard to the fauna of this region is 

 given in the following extract from a report made m 1900:- 



"Red deer and wolves first made their appearance near Port 

 A^rthur about three or four years ago. They are still very scarce 

 but a number of them have been killed. Mr Hodder, Ind.an 

 ag nt a, Port Arthur, showed m. the skin of the first wo f seen 

 near that place. .\n Indian had killed the beast and ha. 1 asked 

 Mr Hodder what kind of an animal it was. A number of men 

 I met expressed the belief that the red deer had been dnven mto 

 the district by the forest fires that had raged m the northern 

 states, and the theory appears quite feasible as they were not 

 found in the vicinity until after one of these great fires. 



Considerable controversy has ar.sen m Brittsh Columbja over 

 a lease of lands on the Coast and the North of Vancouver Island, 

 which the Provinoal Government proposes to grant to the West- 

 ern Canada Pulp & Paper Co. The area concerned. s some 6,^000 

 acres and a protest agamst the lease has been made by the B. C 

 Wrs'Assoeiation, on the ground that the t.mber ,n thatd.stnct 

 consists mainlyof cedar, and that there is veryhttle wood suttable 

 or pu p making. The Pulp Company, on the other hand, contend 

 that any of the trees, even cedar, can be used tn the manufacture 

 of pulp and paper, no matter what the.r s.ze. Any wood can_ 

 of course, be used for pulp, but the quest.on ,s as to the bes and 

 most economical use, and m as far as cedar ,s concerned, he large 

 "ees of British Columbia un^ht prolitabU- be ,H,t to other pur- 

 poses. 



