LABR.VDOR JOURNAL 35 



beaver-cut sticks, that had been carried down the 

 river, and had lodged there. From this circum- 

 stance, I judged, that beavers must be very plen- 

 tiful in the lakes, pools, and ponds, which lie upon 

 these streams. 



Monday, August 27, 1770. Early in the morn- 

 ing we weighed, ran through the narrows, and 

 anchored again about a mile above, near to the 

 north shore. My brother and I went higher up in 

 the whale-boat, and found several obstructions 

 from sand-beds. About four miles above, are sev- 

 eral small low islands, on which grow many fine 

 white and black spruces. We found the water 

 there quite shallow; having a bed of very white 

 sand. On each side there is much useful timber. 

 The woods, from their appearance, afford good 

 shelter for foxes ^ and martens.- We saw many 

 signs of black-bears, and porcupines,^ and in the 

 river, salmon '' are most probably to be found. I 

 tailed a couple of traps for otters,"* but did not find 



* The red fox of Labrador is Vulpes rubiginosa bangsi. Of this there 

 are several individual colour varieties, known a.s cross fox, silver fox and 

 black fox. The Arctic fox, also called blue fox and white fox, Vulpes 

 Ingopijis ungava, is also found on this coast. 



* The Labrador form of the marten or American sable, Mustela americana 

 brumnlis. 



^ Labrador porcupine, Erelhizon dorsatum picinum. 



* Salmon, Salmo Solar. 



' Otter, Lutra canadensis. The " rubl)inp; places " are the otter slides. 

 The fact that the otter slides down hill for amusement is well attested, 

 and is of considerable interest. Seton says, " Life-Histories of Northern 

 Animals." lOtK), Vol. 11, p. 834: " This is the only ciuso I know of among 

 Amorican quadnjpfds where the entire race, young and old, unite to keep 

 np an institution that is not connected in any way with the instincts of 

 feeding, fighting, or multiplying, but is simply maintained jis an amuse- 

 ment." 



