194 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



I NO. 27. 



Castor canadensis Kuhl. Canadian Beaver. 



Formerly abundant throughout this region north nearly to the 

 limit of trees, the beaver is now almost exterminated in many parts, 

 and nowhere is common, though skins are received annually by all 

 the posts throughout the region. During the night of May 15, 1901, 

 wdiile encamped near Poplar Point, 90 miles beloAv Fort McMurray, 

 Ave several times heard the slap of a beaver's tail on the water. ' Cut- 

 tings ' were seen on the banks of the Athabaska below this point. 

 Among a large number of skins seen at Fort Rae the color varied 

 from light brown to sooty black. 



During the season of 1903 w^e saw numbers of skins at the various 

 posts passed on our way to Great Slave Lake. We learned that a 

 considerable number are traded at Fond du Lac, an outpost of Fort 

 Chipewyan situated near the eastern end of Athabaska Lake. The 

 vast region which stretches from Great Slave Lake to the Kocky 

 Mountains at present seems to be the best beaver country in the north. 

 Many skins are brought from the upper reaches of Hay River by the 

 Beaver Indians, and from Trout Lake by the natives who frequent 

 that locality. The Horn Mountain country also furnishes many 

 skins. Along my route between Great Slave and Great Bear lakes, 

 the beaver has now become scarce, owing to constant hunting^ but my 

 guide intimated that in certain localities off the main route which 

 we were following he knew of small colonies of beavers. About 

 Great Bear Lake the best beaver ground seemed to be to the north- 

 ward of Fort Franklin, and I saw several skins, some quite dark, just 

 brought from the hunting grounds about two days' travel to the 

 northward. While ascending the Mackenzie in October we obtained 

 fresh beaver meat from natives near Roche Trempe-Feau. 



During the winter of 1903-4 several beavers were killed by In- 

 dians in the region about Fort Simpson. In the spring the animals 

 often descend the smaller streams to the main river and follow it to 

 ihe mouth of the next tributary. A young one was shot near the 

 mouth of the Liard in May, and several adults and young ones have 

 been killed in recent years near the mouth of Bluefish Creek, opposite 

 Fort Simpson, as a result of this habit. 



While descending the Mackenzie in the siunmer of 1904 I saAv no 

 beavers, but obtained information regarding the traffic in skins. 

 About 700 skins were said to have been traded during the preceding 

 Avinter at Fort Norman, Avhich receives the fur of a very large extent 

 of country. Many skins are annually traded at Fort Good Hope. 

 Skins from the country toAvard the Barren Grounds, according to the 

 testimony of C. P. Gaudet, of that place, are smaller and average 

 darker than those from the vicinity of the post. Fort Anderson, 

 according to the fur returns, never received more than five skins 

 annually during the fcAv years of its existence. 



