206 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. L'T. 



In the early autumn of 1895, during his first trip from Edmonton, 

 Alberta, west to the mountains, J. Alden Loring found these hares 

 abundant, though somewhat local in distribution. Sometimes for 

 days few were seen; then a district was reached where they were 

 very abundant. In some places their runways were very common, 

 and the young aspens and other tender shrubs had been cut down 

 by them in great numbers, but the animals had departed. They were 

 mainly found in the valleys and foothills, few being noted in the 

 high mountains. 



In the summer of 1896, during his second trip to the same region, 

 he found the hares much less common; in only one or two localities 

 were they nearly as abundant as during the previous year. 



Lepus arcticus Ross. Baffin Land Arctic Hare. 



The Arctic hares of Melville Island and the adjacent islands are 

 assumed to be referable to this species. In view of the fact that 

 no specimens from that region are available for study, this assump- 

 tion is of course somewhat arbitrary, and the consequent division of 

 the published notes subject to revision. 



Under the name Lepus glacialis^ Sabine stated that the species 

 was very abundant on the North Georgia Islands, referring partic- 

 ularly to Melville Island, visited on Parry's first voyage.^ Fisher 

 noted that hares killed near Winter Harbor, late in June, 1820, dur- 

 ing the same voyage, were perfectly white excepting the tips of the 

 ears, and Aveighed from 7 to 8 pounds.^ J. C. Ross recorded this hare 

 as abundant on the south shore of Barrow Strait, and as occur- 

 ring at Port Bowen;^ he later recorded it from Sheriff Harbor.'^ 

 M'Clintock mentions that one shot about the middle of July, 1859, at 

 Port Kennedy, had nearly shed its winter fur, and that the summer 

 coat of dull lead color was exposed.*^ Sutherland recorded the 

 species from the southern end of Cornwallis Island, where tracks 

 were rarely seen in the autumn of 1850;^ he stated also that some 

 were shot by Goodsir in the spring of 1851 on the north shore of the 

 same island.^' On North Devon three were seen and one shot in 

 August, 1850, near Cape Riley; the animal weighed 11 pounds.'* 

 Another was seen on the shores of Baring Bay, May 15, 1851.* 

 Armstrong states that a few Arctic hares were seen September 7, 



« Suppl. to Appendix Parry's First Voyage, p. clxxxvii, 1824. 



* Journ. Voyage of Discovery, p. 234, 1821. 



c Appendix Parry's Third Voyage, p. 93, 1826. 



^Appendix to Ross's Second Voyage, p. xv, 1835. 



^ Voyage of Fox in Arctic Seas, p. 294, 1860. 



f Jour. Voyage to Baffin Bay, I, p. 362, 1850, 



0 Ibid., II, p. 106, 1852. 



T' Ibid., I, p. 310, 1852. 



^ Ibid., II, p. 78, 1852, 



