'4 THE ARCTIC PRAIRIES 



tion of Northern Hares (Snowshoe-rabbits or White- 

 rabbits) had reached its maximum, for nine-tenths of 

 the bushes in sight from the train had been barked at 

 the snow level. But the fact that we saw not one 



Map showing the north limit of trees and of the successful culture 

 of potatoes, barley, and wheat 



The dotted line from the Saskatchewan northward is my canoe-route 



Rabbit shows that "the plague" had appeared, had 

 run its usual drastic course, and nearly exterminated 

 the species in this particular region. 



Early next morning at Kininvie (40 miles west of 

 Medicine Hat, Alberta) we saw a band of 4 Antelope 

 south of the track; later we saw others all along as 

 far as Gleichen. All were south of the track. The 

 bands contained as follows: 4, 14, 18, 8, 12, 8, 4, 1, 4, 

 5, 4, 6, 4, 18, 2, 6, 34, 6, 3, 1, 10, 25, 16, 3, 7, 9 (almost 

 never, 2, probably because this species does not pair), 

 or 232 Antelope in 26 bands along 70 miles of track; 



