42 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[no. 27. 



On June IT, below Fort Norman, a small quantity of snow fell. On 

 June 21, at Fort Good Hope, the leaves on most of the trees were 

 about half grown. On the same date the sun was visible at midnight 

 from a low hill near the post, and many birds were in full song at 

 that hour. For the next three weeks, north of this point, the sun was 

 continually above the horizon. Vegetation now advanced rather 

 faster than our rate of travel northward, but was not at its height 

 when we reached the delta of the Mackenzie on June 30. 



Fig. 



-Valley of small stream filled with ice which has persisted until late. 

 River below Fort MacKay, May 29, 1903. 



Athabaska 



THE BASIN OF GREAT BEAR LAKE. 



A short account of Great Bear Lake may begin with a portion of 

 the description by Richardson, who examined most of its shore line 

 in 1825 and 1S2H. He says: 



Great Bear Lake is an extensive sheet of water, of a very irregular shape, 

 being formed by the union of five arms or bays in a common center.' The great- 

 est diameter <>f the lake, measuring about one hundred and fifty geographical 

 miles, runs from the bottom of Dease Bay, which receives the principal feeding 



