OF THE POLAR SEA. 



175 



deer or American stag, (wawaskeeshoo,) the 

 apeesee-mongsoos, or jumping deer, the Jcin- 

 rvaithoos, or long-tailed deer, and the apis- 

 tatchcekoos, sl species of antelope ; animals 

 that frequent the plains above the forks of 

 the Saskatchawan, are not found in the 

 neighbourhood of Cumberland House. 



Of fur-bearing animals, various kinds of 

 foxes (maJckeeshewuc) are found in the dis- 

 trict, distinguished by the traders under the 

 names of black, silver, cross, red, and blue 

 foxes. The two former are considered by 

 the Indians to be the same kind, varying 

 accidentally in the colour of the pelt. The 

 black foxes are very rare, and fetch a high 

 price. The cross and red foxes differ from 

 each other only in colour, being of the same 

 shape and size. Their shades of colour 

 are not disposed in any determinate manner, 

 some individuals approaching in that respect 

 very nearly to the silver fox, others exhibit- 

 ing every link of the chain down to a nearly 

 uniform deep or orange -yellow, the distin- 

 guishing colour of a pure red fox. It is 

 reported both by Indians and traders, that 



