146 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



is seldom seen anywhere ; and it is probably much more 

 numerous about this region than the seldomness of its 

 mention might lead one to surmise. 



I was often much amused in watching the squirrels 

 skipping about, not only on the trees of all kinds, pines 

 and broad leaved, but about the ground also, even when 

 covered with snow ; for this pretty and lively little 

 animal certainly does not hibernate — if, indeed, any 

 squirrels do. The fact that they all seem to lay up 

 winter stores of food would seem to prove that they 

 do not. However, the chickaree, as the Yankees call 

 him, Sciurus hudsonianus, is as lively when the frost is 

 skinning your nose as when the heat of summer is frying 

 you alive, and rushes about in little companies, making 

 the snow fly right and left. One moment he and his 

 companions are skipping in the snow, often disappearing 

 quite under it, if it is not frozen hard, the next they are 

 chasing each other up the trees. Though not gregarious 

 in a strict interpretation of the term, the chickaree is 

 fond of company, and several are often seen together, 

 perhaps a family party. As seldom solitary animals 

 are seen — that is, at least a couple go together — I 

 think it is probable that they pair for life. The colour 

 of the fur is usually a brownish grey, with white on 

 the chest and abdomen ; but there is much ditference 

 in individuals. Sometimes there are dark, irregular 

 markings on the fur ; and often black specimens are 

 found. 



There are several of the Company's posts, or houses 

 and forts (there is no difference that I could perceive 

 between a " house " and a " fort "), on the Albany, at one 

 or two of which we made a temporary stop, and bartered 

 for those necessaries of which we were in want. The 

 river is a characteristic Canadian stream, with high banks 

 and rapid current, necessitating portages here and there ; 

 and for the purpose of avoiding monotonous descriptions, 

 I shall not detail the journey to Fort Albany, preferring 



