Mustela martes.
M Canadensis.
Mephitis Americana, Hudsonica.
Lutra Canadensis.
Canis lupus occidentalis, var, grisea.
»> „ „ atra.
„ ,, „ nubila.
,, „ ,i Sticte.
„ (Vulpes) fulvus.
»j „ „ var. decussata.
>» >y II argentata.
Felis Canadensis.
Castor fiber, Americanus et varietates ejus nigrse, variae, et albae.
Fiber zibethicus, colore interdum varians.
Arvicola xanthognathus.
,, Pennsylvanicus.
Mus leucopus.
Meriones Labradorius.
Arc tom ys empetra.
,, (Spermophilus) Hoodii (in the south-western limits of the district.)
ScilirUS (Tamias) Lysteri (in the southern part of the district.)
,, ,, quadrivittatus (middle parts of the district.)
„ Hudsonius.
„ niger (southern border of the district.)
Hystrix pilosus.
Lepus AmericanUs.
Cervus alces.
,, tarandus, sylvestris (only in a few spots.)
Bos Americanus.
Between this limestone district and the foot of the Rocky
Mountains, there is an extensive tract of what is termed Prairie land.
I t is in general level, the slight inequalities of surface being imperceptible
when viewed from a distance, and the traveller in crossing it
must direct his course by the compass or the heavenly bodies, in the
same way as if he were journeying over the deserts, of Arabia, The
soil is mostly dry and sandy, but tolerably fertile, and it supports a
pretty thick sward of grass, which furnishes: food to immense herds of
the bison. Plains of a similar character, but still more extensive, have
been described by the American writers as existing on the Arkansaw
and Missouri Rivers. They gradually become narrower to the northward,
and in the southern part of the fur countries they occupy about
fifteen degrees of longitude, extending from Maneetobaw or Maneeto-
woopoo, and Winepegoos Lakes to the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
They are partially intersected by some low ridges of hills, and also by
several streams, the banks of which are wooded, and towards the
outskirts of the plain there are many detached clumps of wood and
picturesque pieces of water, disposed in so pleasing a manner as to
give the country the appearance of a highly cultivated English park.
In the central parts of the plains, however, there is so little wood that
the hunters are under the necessity of taking fuel with them on their
journeys, or in dry weather of making their fires of the dung of the
bison. To the northward of the Saskatchewan, the country is more
broken, and intersected by woody hills ; and on the banks of the Peace-
River, the plains are of comparatively small extent, and are detached
from each other by woody tracts; they terminate altogether in the
angle between the River of the Mountains and Great Slave Lake.
The abundance of pasture renders these plains the favourite resort of
various ruminating animals. They are frequented throughout their
whole extent by buffalo and wapiti. The prong-horned antilope is
common on the Assinaboyn or Red River, and south branch of the
Saskatchewan, and extends its range in the summer to the north
branch of the latter river. The black-tailed deer, the long-tailed deer,
and the grisly bear, are also inhabitants of the plains, but do not
wander further to the eastward.
The following list will shew the peculiarity of the group of ferine
animals which frequent the district:—
Ursus ferox.
Canis latrans.
„ (Vulpes) cinereo-argentatus.
Arctomys (Spermophilus P) Ludovicianus.
Richardsonii.
H H Franklinii.
„ „ Hoodii.