A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean Part 40

[140] The Skunk, _Mephitis mephitis_ (Schreber), has not been detected on the coast of Hudson Bay north of Fort Albany, but farther westward it reaches Oxford House and Great Slave Lake. The animal of the c.u.mberland House region is the Northern Plains Skunk, _Mephitis hudsonica_ Richardson.

[141] _Mustela americana abieticola_ Preble. A much larger race than typical _M. americana_ of Eastern Canada is the form inhabiting the country west of Hudson Bay.

[142] The common weasel of the wooded parts of the Hudson Bay region is _Putorius richardsoni_ (Bonaparte). North of the tree-limit is found a larger species, _P. arcticus_ Merriam, which ranges north of the continent over the Arctic islands. Both species turn white in winter and are then known as ermine.

[143] _Fiber zibethicus hudsonius_ Preble (North Am. Fauna, No. 22, p.

53, 1902; type locality, Fort Churchill). This race, which differs from the typical animal of Eastern Canada in smaller size and in cranial characters, inhabits the region west of Hudson Bay, north to the limit of trees.

[144] _Acorus calamus_ Linn. A widely diffused herb abundant in the southern part of the Hudson Bay region. The Crees are said to style it _Wachusk mitsu-in_, i.e. that which the musk-rats eat.

[145] _Erethizon dorsatum_ (Linn.). In Hearne's time the porcupine was rather common throughout the southern part of the Hudson Bay region, and ranged nearly or quite to the limit of trees. Hearne's journey to the Coppermine River was mainly through the Barren Grounds, or near the edge of the timber, where of course the animal was scarce, which accounts for the small number seen by him.

Now, throughout the region, constant persecution has reduced this species almost to the verge of extinction, so that a person may travel hundreds of miles through its range without encountering one.

[146] "Arctic Zool.," i. p. 110, 1784.

[CE] This information was given to Mr. Pennant from the authority of Mr.

Graham; but the before-mentioned account of seeing them killed in all stages of pregnancy, when no symptoms of that kind appeared, will, I hope, be sufficient to clear up that mistake.

[147] By foxes of various colours, Hearne refers to the different colour-phases of the red fox, _Vulpes fulvus_ (Desmarest). These are the cross-fox, in which there is a darkening of the colour, and a more or less plainly marked cross indicated on the back; the silver, in which the red tinge is nearly or wholly lost, the general colour being black, with many of the hairs showing a white subterminal zone; and the black, in which the white is absent, or very nearly so. In all these phases, now generally admitted to be varying degrees of melanism, the tip of the tail is white, as in the normal red phase. A perfect black fox is one of the most valuable furs known.

[148] _Lepus arcticus ca.n.u.s_ Preble. Arctic hares are still found regularly as far south as Fort Churchill, and in winter reach still farther south, while to the north-west they occupy suitable localities throughout the Barren Grounds.

[149] _Lepus america.n.u.s_ (Erxleben), based mainly on specimens from Churchill River and Severn River, which last place may be considered the type locality.

[150] _Sciurus hudsonicus_ Erxleben. Common throughout the Hudson Bay region north to the tree-limit. The name was based on specimens from Hudson Bay, probably from the west coast, although no definite type locality has been a.s.signed.

[151] _Citellus parryi_ (Richardson). This species at the time of Hearne's writing was undescribed, but was later characterised by Richardson (App. to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 316, 1827), from specimens taken at Five Hawser Bay, Melville Peninsula. It inhabits the Barren Grounds from Hudson Bay north-westward to the Mackenzie, and is represented by related and intergrading forms nearly throughout Alaska, and southward in the Rocky Mountains to the northern United States.

[152] The shrew most often found in the beaver houses is the marsh shrew, _Neosorex pal.u.s.tris_ (Rich.), whose aquatic habits admirably fit it for such situations. Two or three smaller shrews, less aquatic in habits, also inhabit the Hudson Bay region.

[153] _Dicrostonyx richardsoni_ Merriam. This lemming, which is closely related to _D. hudsonius_ of Labrador, was described from specimens taken at Fort Churchill, where it is abundant. Farther to the north it is represented by closely related forms whose ranges are among the most northerly of all land animals. Hearne's excellent account of this species has been confirmed in almost every particular by later observers.

[154] _Odobaenus rosmarus_ (Linn.). This animal was formerly abundant in Hudson Bay, but is now far from common, and is confined to the northern and north-eastern parts.

[155] _Phoca vitulina_ Linn. is one of the commonest seals about the Bay, while the ringed seal, _Phoca hispida_ Schreber, is perhaps equally abundant about its northern sh.o.r.es. The grey species mentioned is the bearded seal, _Erignathus barbatus_ (Erxleben), which is abundant in most parts of Hudson Bay.

[156] The narwhal, _Monodon monoceros_ Linn., is still a rare inhabitant of Hudson Strait and the extreme northern part of the Bay.

[CF] In the Fall of the year 1768, a fine rock cod was drove on sh.o.r.e in a high gale of wind, and was eaten at the Governor's table; Messrs.

William Wales and Joseph Dymond, who went out to observe the transit of Venus which happened on the 3d of June 1769, partook of it; but I never heard of one being caught with a hook, nor ever saw an entire fish of that description in those parts: their jaw-bones are, however, frequently found on the sh.o.r.es.

[The common cod, _Gadus callarius_ Linn., enters Hudson Strait, and is economically important in Ungava Bay. An occasional one is reported in Hudson Bay, but whether or not the fish is abundant there is not known.]

[157] _Balaena mysticetus_ Linn. This species, the princ.i.p.al object of pursuit by the northern whalers, was originally fairly common in the northern part of Hudson Bay, but is now rare there.

[CG] I have heard that no Whale caught by our Greenland s.h.i.+ps is called a Pay-fish; that is, that no emolument arises to the harpooner that strikes it; unless the longest blade of the bone, usually called Whale-bone, measures six feet; whereas those killed in Hudson's Bay seldom measured more than four feet and an half.

[158] _Delphinapterus catodon_ (Linn.). This toothed whale is still common in nearly all parts of Hudson Bay, and considerable numbers are taken by means of nets at Fort Churchill. The oil is exported and the meat utilized for food for dogs.

[159] The "Salmon" here spoken of is evidently some form of the widely distributed _Salvelinus alpinus_ (Linn.), several supposed forms of which have been described from different parts of Arctic North America.

The ordinary method of taking it on the coast of Hudson Bay is by stretching a net between stakes at low tide at right angles to the sh.o.r.e. The net being immersed at high tide intercepts the fish, which apparently follow the line of the sh.o.r.e. When the tide falls the catch is of course easily retrieved.

[160] _Mallotus villosus_ (Muller). This is a kind of smelt of wide distribution in northern waters.

[161] Apparently referring to _Mytilus edulis_ (Linn.), which is very abundant on the sh.o.r.e of Hudson Bay.

[162] _Hyas coarctatus_ Leach, occurs on the west coast of Hudson Bay.

Probably other species inhabit its waters.

[163] A common starfish on the west coast of Hudson Bay is a six-armed species, _Asterias polaris_ (Muller and Troschel).

[164] The common frog of the Hudson Bay region is the northern wood frog, _Rana cantabrigensis latiremis_ Cope, which is abundant north to the tree-limit. A smaller species, _Chorophilus septentrionalis_ Boulenger, is abundant on the coast as far north at least as York Factory.

[165] From Hearne's description of its habits he evidently refers to the white-headed eagle, _Haliaetus leucocephalus alasca.n.u.s_ Townsend, which is the commoner of the two species of that region. The golden eagle, _Aquila chrysaetos_ (Linn.), is rare near the Bay, but in places in the interior, where rocky ledges occur, is sometimes rather common.

[166] The Sacre Falcon of Pennant is generally identified as _Falco rusticolus gyrfalco_ Linn.

[167] _Nyctea nyctea_ (Linn.). This beautiful owl is common throughout the region, breeding on the Barren Grounds, and in winter moving southward into the wooded country. Occasionally a pair will nest far south of the normal range.

[168] The great horned owl, _Bubo virginia.n.u.s subarcticus_ (Hoy), found throughout the region north nearly to the limit of trees.

[169] This is the hawk owl, _Surnia ulula caparoch_ (Muller). It is fairly abundant throughout the region north to the limit of trees.

[170] _Corvus corax princ.i.p.alis_ (Ridgway). The raven is rare on the coast of Hudson Bay, but is rather common in the interior.

[171] _Perisoreus canadensis_ (Linn.). Very abundant throughout the region north to the limit of trees. It nests in late winter, laying three or four bluish-grey eggs spotted with brownish.

[172] Besides the "Golden-winged Bird," _Colaptes auratus luteus_ (Bangs), which reaches the limit of trees, several other woodp.e.c.k.e.rs inhabit that region.

[173] Referring to the pileated woodp.e.c.k.e.r, _Phloeotomus pileatus abieticola_ (Bangs), which is found about the southern parts of Hudson Bay, and inland toward the south-west.

[174] Hearne is mistaken here, as the golden-winged woodp.e.c.k.e.r is well known to leave the northern parts of its summer habitat for several months.

[175] _Bonasa umbellus togata_ (Linn.). Found about the southern sh.o.r.es of Hudson Bay, as far north as about 57, and inland much farther north.

[176] _Pedioecetes phasianellus_ (Linn.). Hearne's remarks on its range in this region are well founded, and agree with what is known of its present distribution.

[CH] This I a.s.sert from my own experience when at c.u.mberland House.

[177] _Canachites canadensis_ (Linn.). This grouse inhabits all the region west of Hudson Bay north nearly to the limit of trees, but is scarce near the northern border of its range.

[178] _Lagopus lagopus_ (Linn.) This beautiful ptarmigan is still abundant on the sh.o.r.es of Hudson Bay. It breeds abundantly throughout the Barren Grounds and in considerable numbers on the treeless areas which form an almost continuous fringe along the west coast of the Bay nearly to its southern extremity.

[CI] Mr. Dragge observes, in his North West Pa.s.sage, that when the partridges begin to change colour, the first brown feathers appear in the rump; but this is so far from being a general rule, that an experienced Hudsonian must smile at the idea. That Mr. Dragge never saw an instance of this kind I will not say, but when Nature deviates so far from its usual course, it is undoubtedly owing to some accident; and nothing is more likely than that the feathers of the bird Mr. Dragge had examined, had been struck off by a hawk; and as the usual season for changing their plumage was near, the Summer feathers supplied their place; for out of the many hundreds of thousands that I have seen killed, I never saw or heard of a similar instance.

[179] _Lagopus rupestris_ (Gmel.). This species, first described from specimens sent from Hudson Bay, is more northern in its range than the willow ptarmigan.