100.^.] 



MAMMALS. 



203 



were very scarce, both at Fort Simpson and Hay Kiver. The latest 

 report is from Fort Simpson, Avhere A. F. Camsell, Avriting December 

 4, 1907, stated that there were j)ractically no rabbits to be found. 



A letter received from Maj. A. E. Snyder, of the Royal Northwest 

 Mounted Police, dated at AYliitehorse, Yukon, March 8, 1907, indi- 

 cates that the rabbits were abundant there at nearly the same time 

 that they were at their maximum in the Mackenzie Valley. They had 

 he'^n very abundant two years before the date mentioned, but had 

 been practically exterminated by an epidemic. He says : 



The disease lias evidently spent itself and only the healthy rabbits are left. 

 In a journey, recently, of twenty days' duration, I only saw two rabbits ; in 

 other words, where there were thousands two years ago, they are in ones and 

 twos now. 



During the fall, winter, and spring I had a good chance to observe 

 the seasonal changes of j^elage in this species, and collected about 35 

 specimens, com]jri.sing a nearly complete series. Specimens taken 

 at Fort Franklin, Great Bear Lake, on September 19 and 21, 1903, 

 are perhaps properly referable to the form L. a. macfarlanl, but 

 this distinction may be ignored for the present purpose. They had 

 scarcely V)egun to assume the winter pelage, the ears, feet, and legs 

 alone biMUg white. One seen, but not secured, about the same time, 

 was slightly flecked with white on the rimip. Others seen near 

 the rapid on Bear Kiver the last of September were in about the 

 same c(mdition. During the first three weeks in October, wdiile we 

 were ascending the Mackenzie, none were collected, and there is a 

 slight break in the series in consequence. Adults taken near Fort 

 Simpson, October 20 and 24, Avere in nearly complete winter pelage, 

 but still retained brown on the head; the ears were largely white. 

 A young one of the year, taken October 2-1, was white beneath and on 

 the feet. A little white also appeared on the sides of the head and 

 al)out the bases of the ears, but most of the head and back was still 

 in the immature summer coat. Another taken three days later was 

 similar in color, but the white extended higher on the thighs, and the 

 back was flecked with the same color. The young, however, acquire 

 the white winter pelage earlier than the adults, w^hich were then 

 almost entirely white. Specimens taken November 27 and 28 were 

 entirely white, except that the edges of the ears showed a dark line, 

 and the under fur was of a fawn color. This is the normal winter 

 condition. 



On April 11, 1904, the rabbits began to show traces of the change 

 to the smnmer pelage, first made evident by the tawny under fur 

 showing on the head and ears, owing to the white hair having been 

 shed. In a specimen taken April 20 the fawn formed the predomi- 

 nating color above. In others collected about the same time the fawn 

 and white Avere about equally divided, the head, however, being 



