196 THEOUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIIST 



we observe the same rule in dealing with red foxes, we have 

 only eight years which exceeded the average of 10,191 skins. 

 These are 1857 with 10.526, 1859 with 11,488, 1860 with 

 11,031, 1867 with 20,82*, 1868 with 26,822, 1869 with 

 20,267, 1870 with 13,058, and 1877 with 11,233. Four 

 more years were not far under the mark: 1858 with 9,707, 

 1861 with 8,8,97, 1875 with 8,973, and 1876 with 9,838. 

 The remaining sales of the period ranged between the low- 

 est, 3,175! in 1854, and 8,760 in 1865. The average number 

 of silver and black foxes for the twenty-five years was 804. 

 Eleven of these years exceeded the average, namely: 1853 

 with 847; 1857, 1,072; 1858, 1,060; 1859, 1,164; 1860, 

 1,177; 1861, 1,066; 1868, 1,253; 1869, 1,490 (the maxi- 

 mum) ; 1870, 914, and 1877 with 971 skins. The year 1875 

 fell short by nine skins. Erom the minimiim sale of 390 in 

 1854, w© have had a series of four years between that figure 

 and 696 in 1871. In 1902 the Company sold 1,447 cross, 

 5,912 red, and 280 silver foxes ; and in March, 1903, 1,970 

 cross, 6,200 red, and 491 silver and black foxes. It may also 

 be of interest to mention that for fifteen (1863-1877) of the 

 often-referred-to twenty-five year London sales statement, 

 Mackenzie River District supplied 6,072 cross, 8,034 red, 

 and 1,699 silver and black foxes. For twenty years thereof 

 (1858-1877), Athabasca District contributed 4,652 cross, 

 6,582 red, and 1,450 iblack and silver foxes. All these facts 

 go to establish the claim that these foxes should be classified 

 among the " periodical " fur-bearing animals of ITorth Amer- 

 ica. In the Indian country tributary to Fort Anderson, the 

 several varieties of foxes were fairly abundant in good years, 

 and this was more so on the lower portion of the river and 

 along the Arctic coast between Herschel Island and Cape 

 Bathurst. 



Kit Fox — Vulpes velox hehes Merriam. 



This fox does not inhabit the territories to the north 

 of the upper Saskatchewan River, nor is.it found in New 



