202 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



fxo. 27 



The skins of this species are scarcely ever traded in the Mac- 

 kenzie region, owing probably to the cost of carriage, but according 

 to MacFarlane. the Hudson's Bay Company annually export many 

 thousands from Hudson Bay/^ 



Throughout the upper Mackenzie region during January, and to a 

 less extent during February, 1904, many thousands of rabbits per- 

 ished from disease. In some cases death overtook them as they sat 

 in their forms at the foot of trees or beneath logs or stumps ; in other 

 cases the animals left the shelter of the woods and after wandering a 

 short time on the frozen surface of the river suddenly sprawled in 

 their tracks and died without a struggle. In the spring when the 

 snow went off many were found in all conceivable positions. After 

 Februar}^ the disease seemed to have run its course, as no sick animals 

 or any which had recently died were found. When affected, the 

 rabbits become excessivelv thin. On skinnino- some which had died 

 cf this disease I was at once struck by the dry condition of the skin 

 and flesh, which separated with difficulty. The viscera were in an 

 excessively moist condition. The stomach contained a small quan- 

 tity of comminuted wood}^ food of the consistency of gruel. The 

 throat and lungs were much inflamed. 



Despite the thousands which Avere caught in snares or died from 

 disease the rabbits were fairly abundant when spring arrived. The 

 Indians still lived on them to a large extent, and Avhen the breeding 

 season arrived took note of the number of embryos, since on this de- 

 pended the relative abundance of the animals during the following- 

 winter. The prospect was not encouraging, since in the few in- 

 stances where I ascertained the number it seldom exceeded two. 

 According to the natives the animals have three litters during the 

 summer. Young the size of red squirrels were seen near the mouth 

 of ^^ahanni Eiver on June 6. 



While descending the Mackenzie in June, 190^1:, I found the species 

 common along its banks and learned that the area of abundance had 

 extended throughout the length of the Mackenzie. The animals were 

 especially common on the lower Mackenzie and Peel rivers. When I 

 ascended the Athabaska in August of the same year, I found them | 

 common there also. 



Through the kindness of correspon^dents I have been able to trace 

 the decline in numbers of the rabbits since my return from the Mac- 

 kenzie in 1904. They were still abundant during the winter of 1904-5 

 about Fort Simpson, though less so than in 1903-4. By December, 

 1905, they had become much scarcer, and in December, 1906, they 



«Proc. U. S. Nat. Miis., XXYIII, p. 741, 1905. See also Poland's List, for 

 numbers of American liare skins collected by the Hudson's Buy Company 

 annually (witla some exceptions) between 1788 and 1890. Poland's Fur-Bear- 

 ing Animals, Introduction, ]3. xxvii. 1S92. 



