132 



NOKTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



and Great Bear Lake, during my northward trip in the same autmim, 

 the moose was fomid to be rather common, and became more abundant 

 as we approached Great Bear Lake, owing to the country being better 

 suited to its needs. Tracks were often seen on the portages and a 

 large bull was observed on an inlet of MacTavish Bay on August 

 25. Along the southern shore of Great Bear Lake we found it a com- 

 mon and in some places an abundant species. Even in the exposed 

 and semibarren country in the region of Leith Point a few are 

 found, and a female was killed there by my Indian canoeman on 

 September 1. Owing to the rocky nature of its haunts, the hoofs 

 of this animal were much worn and blunted. ^Vest of Mc Vicar Bay, 

 especially along the base of Grizzly Bear Mountain, the species was 

 found to be abundant, and numerous fresh tracks were seen wher- 

 ever we landed. Its abundance here is partially explained by the fact 

 that there are immense areas abounding with its proper food, and 

 sparsely inhabited by natives; moreover, the inhabitants are poor 

 moose hunters. A party of natives seen near Manito Islands had 

 repeatedly started niDose without killing one, while my Dogrib canoe- 

 man, in a far more difficult country, had secured the only animal he 

 hunted. Moose are seldom found about Fort Franklin, owing doubt- 

 less to the j)lace having been a favorite resort of natives since time 

 immemorial, but they are said to be common along Bear Eiver. 

 While ascending the Mackenzie in October we frequently saw fresh 

 tracks. 



During the winter of 1903-4 upward of forty moose were killed 

 within 25 miles of Fort Simpson, and moose meat comprised an im- 

 portant item of our food.. During a trip down the river in January 

 I saw the tracks of a band of four or five about 30 miles below Fort 

 Simpson. An area of considerable size on the sloping side of the 

 valley, grown up to willows, had afforded a fine feeding ground, and 

 was well trampled. The animals had wandered out on the snowy sur- 

 face of the river also, and had trotted about apparently with no par- 

 ticular aim, perhaps in play. 



During the night of May 23, 1904, a female moose wandered upon 

 the island on which Fort Simpson is situated. During the next fore- 

 noon the animal was roused from its bed by a dog and driven into the 

 shallow channel between the island and the western bank of the river, 

 where it was shot by an Indian, and the skin obtained for a specimen. 

 While fleeing from the dog the moose continually uttered a loud grunt- 

 ing protest. Another was killed near the same place in June. While 

 descending the Mackenzie during June tracks of moose were fre- 

 quently seen along the banks, and several of the animals were ob- 

 served. A female, apparently pursued by wolves, took to the water 

 near our camp a few miles below Fort Simpson, on the morning of 

 June 2j and was killed for food. Tracks of moose were common 



