26 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[no. 27. 



The following table shows the monthly extremes and means of 

 temperature at Fort Dunvegan " from observations made during 

 1880-84:" 



Summaries of temperatures taken at Fort Dunvegan, Peace Hirer, during 



1880-1884. 



The following table relating to Fort St. John, Peace River, gives 

 the dates of opening and closing of the river, and other phenomena 

 dependent on the climatic conditions, during a series of years: 



Dates of occurrence <>f certain events at Fort St. John, Peace Hirer. 



THE BASIN OF GREAT SLAVE LAKE. 



Great Slave Lake may be briefly described by quoting in part the 

 account of R. G. McConnell : 



Great Slave Lake, so far as known, has a superficial area, including islands. 

 of about 10,40(1 square miles, and ranks fifth among the great lakes of the 

 continent." No complete survey of its shores, however, has yet been made, and 

 our knowledge of its geography is still confined to the disconnected explorations 

 of Ilearne, Mackenzie, Franklin, Hack, and Petitot. 6 These give the lake a 

 total length from east to west of about 288 miles. Its width is variable, and 

 in one place exceeds sixty miles. It is situated along the western margin of the 

 Archaean axis, and had originally the form of a great cross with one arm pene- 



a It is exceeded in size by Superior (31,500), Huron (23,800), Michigan 

 (22,300), and Great Rear (11,400). [McConnell. 1 



6 The less known eastern part of the lake has been carefully examined 

 recently (1899) by I>r. Robert Bell and J. Macintosh Bell, of the Canadian 

 Geological Survey, but, as far as I know, the report on the work lias not yet 

 been published. 



