348 APPENDIX F 



on August 14. It measured: length, 625; tail, 76; hind-foot, 

 160. Another was seen at the western extremity of the same 

 lake on the following day. We took another specimen, also a 

 female, near Sandhill Bay on August 19. It measured : 570, 72, 

 142. 



Lynx canadensis mollipilosus Stone. Northern Canada Lynx. 



During our northward journey we saw lynxes on a number of 

 occasions and collected several specimens. Although the animal 

 was probably no more common than usual, the scarcity of the 

 smaller animals which constitute its prey had evidently resulted 

 in forcing the big cats to leave the depths of the woods and seek 

 the clearings and river banks in search of food, so that they were 

 more easily observed than usual. Several of those collected 

 were evidently very weak from lack of food, and all were more 

 or less emaciated. During the season at least two were found 

 dead from starvation, one on the Athabaska, near Iron Point, 

 and the other near the eastern extremity of Great Slave Lake. 

 The stomach of one taken at Fort Smith on June 17 contained 

 an adult chipmunk with four young ones a few days old; another 

 one at Pelican Portage on May 19 had eaten a white-footed 

 mouse (Peromyscus arcticus). The stomachs of most of the 

 others were empty, or contained leather thongs, pieces of rope, 

 or similar objects which the animals had swallowed to relieve 

 the pangs of hunger. Full details are given in the narrative, 

 chapter XIV. 



Canis occidental Richardson. Gray Wolf. 



The gray wolf is generally distributed throughout the wooded 

 region but is seldom common in any locality. Judging by the 

 tracks observed it was most common along the Athabaska be- 

 tween Athabaska Landing and Fort McMurray. During our 

 return trip in the fall, tracks were seen at a number of points 

 along this part of the river. We also noted the fresh tracks of 

 a large wolf at Fort Reliance on September 13. The skull of 

 a very large wolf was obtained near the mouth of Salt River. 



