Natural History of the Hudson's Bay Territories. 21 



it. The whiteness of its colour also is so pure that it is most 

 difficult to discern it on the snow. Sir John Richardson notices 

 that in one of the boat voyages in which he took part along 

 with Franklin, they landed on a rocky islet off Cape Parry, 

 which, although not above 300 yards in diameter, was ten- 

 anted by a solitary Alpine hare. The whole party went in 

 pursuit of this poor animal ; but it availed itself so skilfully 

 of the shelter of the rocks, and retreated with so much cun- 

 ning and activity from stone to stone, that none of them could 

 obtain a shot at it, although it never was able to conceal itself 

 from their search for more than a minute or two at a time. 



Its flesh is said to be better eating than either the Ameri- 

 can or European hare. 



Quebec Marmot (Arctomys empetra, Schreb.) — This ani- 

 mal, although recorded as being found in the Hudson Bay 

 Company's territories, would appear to be confined to their 

 southern parts. I have received none from my northern cor- 

 respondents, but only from Canada, where it would appear not 

 to be rare. 



Musk Rat (Fiber zibethicus, Cuv.) — This is a very com- 

 mon species in the Hudson Bay Company's territories, and 

 supplies a large portion of the furs sent to this country. Its 

 skin is used as medicine or medicine-bags by the natives, in 

 which state the specimens sent to me have arrived. 



Beaver (Castor Americanus, Brandt). — Considering the 

 immense number of animals both of this, and more especially 

 of the preceding species, which have for a long series of years 

 been taken for the purpose of supplying the wants of civi- 

 lized Europe, we might have expected that specimens would 

 be by no means rare in our museums. The contrary is the 

 case, however, so much so that when my friend Dr J. A. 

 Smith a year or two ago wished to compare the semi-fossil 

 bones of a beaver found in a superficial deposit in Scotland 

 with the recent skeleton of a beaver, the comparison could not 

 be made in Scotland from want of a specimen of the re- 

 cent animal in any of the museums in that country. I 



