NORTHERN OCEAN 357 



The American Hares/ or, as they are called in Hudson's The Ameri- 

 Bay, Rabbits, are not plentiful in the Eastern parts of the 

 Northern Indian country, not even in those parts that are 

 situated among the woods ; but to the Westward, border- 

 ing on the Southern Indian country, they are in some places 

 pretty numerous, though by no means equal to what has been 

 reported of them at York. Fort, and some other settlements in 

 the Bay. 



The furr of those animals, when killed in the best part 

 of the season, was for many years entirely neglected by the 

 furriers ; for some time past the Company have ordered as 

 many of their skins to be sent home as can be procured ; they 

 are but of small value. 



The flesh of those Hares is generally more esteemed than 

 that of the former. They are in season all the Winter ; and 

 though they generally feed on the brush of pine and fir during 

 that season, yet many of the Northern Indians eat the con- 

 tents of the stomach. They are seldom sought after in 

 Summer, as in that season they are not esteemed [385] good 

 eating ; but as the Fall advances they are, by feeding on 

 berries, dsfc. most excellent. In Spring they shed their Winter 

 coat, and during the Summer are nearly the colour of the 

 English wild rabbit, but as the Winter advances they become 

 nearly white. In thick weather they are easily shot with the 

 gun ; but the most usual method of killing them is by snares, 

 set nearly in the manner described by Dragge in the First 

 Volume of his North West Passage. 



The Common Squirrels- are plentiful in the woody The Common 

 parts of this country, and are caught by the natives in con- ^^'"^* 

 siderable numbers with snares, while the boys kill many of 



[^ Lepus ainericanus (Erxleben), based mainly on specimens from Churchill 

 River and Severn River, which last place may be considered the type locality.] 



P Sciurus hudsonicus Erxleben. Common throughout the Hudson Bay 

 region north to the tree-limit. The name was based on specimens from Hudson 

 Bay, probably from the west coast, although no definite type locality has been 

 assigned.] 



