31 
14 in the vicinity of Koukdjitariak river farther north along the same 
coast. It is thus evident that polar bears occur, at least occasionally, on 
the flat, tundra coast of Foxe basin. That this should be so is rather 
unexpected, as low tide leaves bare a wide mud flat along the coast and, 
according to the Eskimo, seals do not frequent the waters for a long 
distance north and south. Over a long stretch of coast, therefore, it is 
likely that bears could obtain no food except an occasional lemming or 
shrimps stranded in shallow tidal pools. 
The food of the polar bear chiefly consists of seals, especially the 
plentiful, widely distributed ringed seal, Phoca hispida. These are caught 
by waiting their appearance at breathing holes in the ice, by crouching 
at the edges of floes, or by creeping up to the animal as it sleeps on the ice. 
The Eskimo assert that the polar bear also catches seals and young walrus 
by seizing them in the water, from underneath, and dragging them onto 
an ice pan. It is debatable whether or not the polar bear ever attacks an 
adult walrus. Hantzsch (1913, p. 155) cites a case, reported to him by 
Eskimo, of a large bear in the vicinity of Kekerten islands, Cumberland 
gulf, attacking three walruses and killing a large male which he greatly 
tore about the head. Such cases must be rare. Bears, no doubt, kill 
many of the young of the ringed seal after their birth in snow chambers on 
the ice along the coast. Even the white fox, it is said, is able to capture 
young seals in the dens during late March and early April. Bears also- 
live to some extent on lemmings and even vegetable matter. Tremblay 
(1921, p. 79) mentions that in early June a female bear was observed on 
the east coast of Bathurst island, overturning blocks of sandstone so that 
her cubs might secure lemmings. 
2. Mustela arctica arctica (Merriam). arctic weasel. 
Eskimo: Terreak. 
This animal, found on the Arctic coast and tundras from Alaska to 
Hudson bay, and on the Arctic islands, is, according to the writer’s 
experience, comparatively scarce on Baffin island. In the course of the 
many winter journeys in Baffin island, not a single weasel trail would be 
seen for weeks at a time. During the two years spent on the island only 
four weasels were killed and but six skins secured from Eskimo. Only a 
comparatively small number of skins are annually received in trade by 
the Hudson’s Bay Company from the Eskimo of Baffin island. 
On August 19, 1923, two weasels were seen frequenting a lemming 
colony on Eskimo point, Strathcona sound, Admiralty inlet; one was 
carrying a lemming. At Ponds inlet several weasel skins were secured 
from Eskimo and the writer shot two weasels, in summer pelage, one on 
August 28 and the other on September 2. The following are the measure- 
ments of the two animals killed: No. 4904 cf: length, 305; tail, 76; hind 
foot, 40. No. 4905 d* : length, 270; tail, 73; hind foot, 38. The skins are 
pale brown above, slightly darker over face and down the middle of the 
back, and white below with a pale yellow tinge which extends to the fore 
and hind legs. The tip of the tail and more than half of its length are black. 
The under side is lighter in the brown part and inclined to be yellowish. 
The lips are whitish and a small white spot occurs at the posterior corner 
of each eye. 
Between July 23 and December 31, 1924, no weasels and only two of 
their trails were observed. On a 400-mile sledge journey in the upper* 
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