MAMMALS OF NORTHEKN CANADA 213 



London market. During that period there were only six 

 years when the annual sales exceeded the average (3,967), 

 and they varied 'between 4,011 in 1872 and 11,678 in 1867, 

 with 21,321 for 1868 as the maximum. The remaining 

 nineteen years ranged from the minimum (1,042) in 1877 

 to 3,883 in 1863, the maximum. Strange to say, there is 

 not one raccoon entered in the Dominion Senatorial report 

 of the Lampson's and Hudson's Bay Company's fur cata- 

 logues for the year 1887. In the latter's catalogue for 1902, 

 however, we have 1,967 and in that for 1903, 1,024 skins. I 

 understand that this species is, now, at least, very rare in the 

 north-west of Canada while it is probable that most of the 

 foregoing returns were obtained in other sections of the 

 country, to the west, south, and eastward. In the second 

 volume of Audubon and Bachman's Quadrupeds of North 

 America, Audubon has given us a full and interesting 

 account of the habits of this species. As to its northern 

 and western distribution, he quotes from Sir John Richard- 

 son and others. The former supposed that the raccoon 

 extended farther north on the shores of the Pacific than it 

 does on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. Dixon 

 and Pastlock confirm this, as they obtained skins from the 

 natives of Cook River, in latitude 60" north. Richardson 

 further states that the Company procured about 100 skins 

 from the southern parts of the fur districts, as far north as 

 the Red River, in latitude 50" north. It is said to hibernate 

 for a portion, if not most of the winter. The young, usually 

 from four to six in number, are quite small at their birth, 

 which generally takes place in May, though varying with the 

 range. 



Land Ottee — Lutra canadensis (Schreber). 



The Canada otter is but very sparingly present on the 

 lower Anderson, nor could it be truthfully stated that it was 

 very aJbundant in the far north; still, it is generally met 



