530 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



Elaeagnus argentea Pursh. Silverberiy. 



This highly ornamental shrub occurs in suitable places, usually dry 

 clay banks, along the Athabaska, Slave, and Mackenzie rivers nearly 

 to Fort Norman. It was in flower at Smith Landing on June 10, 

 1903, and its beautiful silvery berries were ripe at Fort McMurray 

 about the middle of August. Its fruit is inedible for man, but is 

 said by Eichardson to be eaten to some extent by geese in spring. 

 The natives sometimes use the dried berries for purposes of ornament. 



Lepargyraea canadensis (Linn.) Greene. Canadian Buffaloberry. 



This is a common shrub throughout the country north ^o the edge 

 of the timber. Its leaves open in most parts of the region about 

 June 1, and it flowers at about the same date. On lower Grandin 

 River its berries were ripe about the first of August. Along the ex- 

 posed southern shore of Great Bear Lake it is a decumbent shrub with 

 small leaves. It occurs abundantly along the whole course of the 

 Mackenzie. Its bright red berries have a peculiar sour-bitter taste, 

 but are used by some of the Indian tribes, particularly the Beavers, 

 as food. 



Cornus canadensis Linn. Dwarf Cornel. 



The dwarf cornel or bunchberry is scarcely a shrub, but seems 

 worthy of mention. It extends nearly or quite throughout the 

 wooded region, ripening its bright red berries along the Athabaska 

 late in August. 



The Tyrrell brothers took it on Daly Lake in 1893. 



Cornus stolonifera Michx. Red-osier Cornel. 



This is a conspicuous shrub along the streams throughout the 

 wooded country, where it is usually called ' red willow.' Its inner 

 bark, scraped in fine shavings and dried, is used extensively as a sub- 

 stitute for tobacco, though usually mixed with it. An infusion of its 

 bark is said to be used for dyeing tanned skins. 



In the southern part of the region, where this shrub attains its 

 perfection, its white berries are greedily eaten by black bears. Along 

 the Athabaska in August, 1904, 1 found many places where the bushes 

 had been broken down by the animals to secure the berries. This 

 was particularly the case near Pelican Rapid on August 27. At 

 this time the berries were fully ripe, yet the shrubs were not entirely 

 out of flower. 



Xedum groenlandicum GEder. Labrador Tea. 



Throughout the Avooded region this broad-leaved Ledum is a 

 rather abundant shrub in the drier muskegs, where it forms dense 

 patches. It was collected in a more or less typical form north to the 

 shores of Great Bear Lake, and along the Mackenzie to Fort McPher- 

 son. Near Leith Point, Great Bear Lake, it was somewhat dwarfed, 

 with smaller leaves. 



