526 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[no. 2' 



Ribes rubrum Linn. Red Currant. 



The red currant occurs throughout the region north at least to 

 Great Bear Lake. It usually grows in Avoods, where its dark-tinged 

 foliage makes * it a conspicuous shrub. Its well-flavored berries, 

 which grow ni drooping racemes, are ripe in late August and early 

 September. I found it fairly common along the canoe route between 

 Great Slave and Great Bear lakes, along the southern shore of that 

 body of w^ater, and at Fort Franklin. 



At Fort Simpson it was in flower on May 20, 1904, at which time its 

 leaves were about half grown. 



Ribes hudsonianum Richardson. Xorthern Black Currant. 



This is the least common of the species of Rihes observed by us. 

 We took specimens in various places from the Athabaska nearly to 

 Great Bear Lake. It was in flower at Smith Landing on June 11, 

 1903, and held ripe fruit on Lake Hardisty on August 19. J. A¥. 

 Tyrrell found it on Artillery Lake in the summer of 1900. 



Ribes prostratum L'Her. Fetid Currant. 



This currant, whose prickly, resinous-flavored fruit is scarcely edi- 

 ble, is common throughout the country from the Athabaska north at 

 least to Great Bear Lake. When ripe 'its berries are black, not red 

 as stated in most text-books. It Avas abundant in the country north 

 of Fort Rae, and its fruit Avas ripe on Lake Hardisty on August 16, 

 1903. It was noted also at Fort Franklin. 



In the region to the eastward of our route it Avas collected by the 

 Tyrrell brothers as far north as Daly and Carey lakes. 



Rubus chamaemorus Linn. Cloudberry. 



This herbaceous raspberry is scarcely entitled to a place in a 

 list of shrubs, but may be included because of its abundance and 

 general interest. It occurs in suitable places, mainly peaty bogs, 

 from the SaskatcheAvan to the Arctic Sea, but is not abundant south 

 of Great Slave Lake, and reaches its perfection along the southern 

 border of the Barren Grounds. It flowers from the first to the last 

 of June, according to latitude, and its solitary berry ripens in July 

 or August. The berries in ripening first turn red, but become amber- 

 colored Avhen fully ripe, and are generally referred to as yelloAv- 

 berries. The fruit has a pleasant though rather insipid taste. On 

 the southern shore of Great Bear Lake a few berries still remained 

 on the stems at the latter end of August. 



It Avas collected by the Tyrrell brothers on Carey Lake and by 

 J. W. Tyrrell on Artillery Lake. 



Rubus arcticus Linn. Arctic Raspberry. 



This beautiful little raspberry has a distribution similar to that of 

 R. chamaemorus. Its bright pink floAvers appear in June, and its 



