206 THROUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN 



other relative reasons, but, on the whole, I think the aforesaid 

 twenty-five years' London sales statement adds strength to 

 the migration theory, and is otherwise of some interest. If 

 it were possible, however, to obtain from the London execu- 

 tive a complete abstract of all the furs and peltries annually 

 disposed of by the Hudson's Bay Company since the union 

 with the Northwest Company of Montreal in 1821, to 1903. 

 a period of eighty-two years, this opinion would probably 

 receive further confirmation. 



In this connection, native allegation in respect to a cor- 

 responding increase and decrease in the birth-rate of the 

 marten and other " periodic " and migratory species may be 

 worthy of a little attention from interested naturalists. The 

 following comparison of the yearly London sales of this pelt 

 may help any such in enabling them to arrive at a better 

 understanding of the subject, and for this purpose sales 

 exceeding 100,000 will be classified as " good " and under 

 that figure as " lean " years. To begin with, we have two 

 of the latter — 1853 with a sale of 73,050 skins, and 1854 

 with 91,882. I have reason to believe that the three pre- 

 ceding years (1852, 1851, and 1850) would come under the 

 same grouping, while the five previous (1849, 1848, 1847, 

 1846, and 1845) should be considered as " good " years. 

 Then we have six of the same description, two of which, 

 1856 with 179,736, and 1857 with 171,022 skins, were prob- 

 ably the best ever realized by the Hudson's Bay Company 

 from incorporation in 1670 to the present time. The other 

 four " good " years' sales were 137,009 skins in 1855, 

 138,535 in 1858, 139,124 in 185,9, and 102,235 in 1860. 

 These six years were succeeded by only three " lean " years 

 (1861 with 74,738, 1862 with 80,484, and 1863 with 

 79,979), which were immediately followed by five "good" 

 years— 1864 with 112,396, 1865 with 124,830, 1866 with 

 142,970, 1867 with 126,616, and 1868 with 106,784 skins. 

 Then came no less than eight successive " lean " years' sales 

 (1869 to 1877), having but one bright break, in 1875, when 



