86 EXPLORATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH 



riorate as they advance southward from the Arctic Sea. Jack- 

 fish, Esox lucius Linn., and suckers, Catostomus longirostris, are 

 somewhat common. The locke, Sata maculosa, is also caught 

 but only the roe and liver are eaten. This species (if it be the 

 same) sometimes attains very large size; Count de Sainville, 

 whom I afterward met at McPherson, assured me that he had 

 measured a locke, which he had caught in the arctic Red River, 

 that was four and one-half feet long. A stray herring was 

 taken in one of thewhitefish nets, the meshes of which are usu- 

 ally too large for this species, seldom found above the mouth 

 of the Liard River. (I did not see the specimen myself.) 



The isolated hills about Rae are covered with willows and 

 low bushes; these attracted large numbers of ptarmigan, Lago- 

 pus lagopus Linn., which made their appearance on the first of 

 October. They were just assuming their winter garb, and as the 

 permanent snow did not come until the 23rd, their white plum- 

 age rendered them very conspicuous amid the grays and 

 browns of their environment. A score of hawks, Accipiter atri- 

 capillus (Wils.), soon gathered about the post to prey upon 

 the ptarmigan. The latter when pursued flew high and straight 

 away, seemingly holding their own in the race. If swooped 

 down upon when on the ground, they merely crouched as if 

 relying on their usual safeguard — protective coloration. More 

 than once the hawk was bagged as he rose with his victim — 

 dead — in his talons. Until driven away by the dogs and the 

 metis boys, the ptarmigan came about the buildings without 

 fear. It was not an unusual thing for me to shoot them off 

 the roof of my cabin for breakfast. Pot hunting, indeed! 



The winter birds were noticeably fewer in number of individu- 

 als, and also of species than at the station occupied the previ- 

 ous winter on the Saskatchewan. 



Periodical Events Recorded in the Journals at Rae. 



Ice broke up, June 1st, 1857. 

 June 7th, 1858. 

 May 30th, 1859. 

 June 3rd, 1883. 

 June 23rd, 1884. 

 June 18th, 1885. 

 Lake froze, October 19th, 1857. 

 October 6th, 1864. 

 October 28th, 1880. 



