among wolves, than the silver is among Foxes. In its full winter pelage it is a magnificent animal. The color is a dark silver grey, with a rather browner tint than that of the silver Fox, under the belly a blueish black, the nose and paws black. The size of an old specimen is enormous, the skin being as large, when stretched and dried, as that of a barren ground reindeer.

The northern wolf is a very knowing animal, quite as much so as the fox; out of an immense number which I have heard, I will relate a few well authenticated anecdotes about it, most of which have fallen under my own observation. In the month of May, when the holes cut in the ice do not freeze up, the fisherman at Fort Resolution on visiting his trout lines, set at some distance from the fort, discovered that several had been visited, the lines and hooks were lying on the ice, as well as the remains of a partly eaten trout, and a wolf's track was observed about the place. The fact was that the wolf had hauled up the lines and helped himself to what fish he required. This occurred again and then ceased, the animal having been probably driven away by the dogs of the post. I have never heard of a wolf attacking man, though a dog has been carried off from the winter encampment now and then. When there is but a single wolf, one of our hauling dogs, which are a powerful cross between the pointer and native dog, will make a good fight and often beat off his opponent. The wolf, when taken young, is easily domesticated. It is affectionate and docile to its master, but snappish with strangers and rather quarrelsome with the dogs. A cross between a male wolf and a domestic bitch makes an excellent breed. The offspring are hardy, docile and strong, easily fed, and capable of enduring great fatigue. These hybrids will, contrary to the general rule, have young ones. When there are not too many dogs to drive him off, a male wolf will sometimes have connection with a bitch belonging to the fort, but I am doubtful if a female wolf would permit the attentions of a domestic dog. In the copulating season wolves become rabid, at which time their bite is generally fatal to dogs and other animals. Fearful of expatiating at too great a length upon the subject, I will conclude this anecdotary paragraph by a testimony to the sociability of the wolf, even in a wild state. A full grown wolf remained during the months of July and August 1857 quite domesticated at Fort Resolution. Though rather shy of the people, it lived in great harmony with the dogs, playing and sleeping with them, and sharing their food. Around

the smoke made to keep off the myriads of noxious flies from the cattle it reposed with the other animals, and, although there was a small calf in the band, it never attempted mischief. It was shot at by an Indian and never seen after. Wolves, when pressed by hunger, often come into the square of the fort, and one was shot once when endeavouring to affect an entrance into a meat store. There are five methods by which wolves are captured or destroyed. By the pitfall; by the gin; by the trap; by the set gun; and by poison.

By the Pitfall. This method is tolerably successful. A hole about 7 feet deep, broader at the bottom than at the top, is dug during the summer. It is covered with twigs and grass, and after the first fall of snow bears the same appearance as the surrounding ground. In the centre of the hole the bait is laid, and on approaching the animal falls into the pit, when he is easily killed.

By the Gin or Steel-trap.-The trap is set in the usual manner, covered with snow and baited; when caught the wolf struggles violently, and if the trap be not very strong will escape, after which he is very difficult to catch, as he will begin digging at some distance from the trap, which, when reached he will throw aside with his nose, and devour the bait at his leisure. Once securely caught, the wolf will take the bar of wood, to which the trap is fixed by an iron chain in his mouth, and trot off at a desperate pace seeking the worst country he can find. I was once obliged to follow a wolf two days in this manner, and only secured him in the end by the aid of dogs.

By the Wooden Trap.-A large trap of strong pieces of wood is made. First stakes are driven into the earth enclosing a circular space, with two convenient saplings for door-posts, a log of wood, or sleeper, is laid across the door, at the foot of these, with another longer and lighter piece on the top for the purpose of being lifted up when set. The roof of the trap is then covered with small sticks and brush, some logs of wood are laid as weights on the upper piece lying across the door, and a strong stake is driven into the ground to prevent the animal, when caught, from hauling the top piece off the sleeper. The trap is then prepared for setting, to effect this some of the weights are thrown off, and one end of the top piece lifted sufficiently high to permit a stick about a foot long to be inserted upon the

butt of the bait stick which is about 18 inches long with a piece of fish or meat fixed on the point, and is placed inside the trap. The weights are then replaced and some pine brush thrown loosely on the top. This fashion of catching wolves is not very successful, except in the fall and beginning of winter.

By the Set-gun.-This is a very sure method though rather dangerous to the hunter, if he do not take great care. The gun is tied upon two saplings or stakes, set on purpose, opposite the trigger is another thinner stick firmly planted on the ground, a piece of wood is laid across this stick one end pressing the trigger, the other attached to a line to the other extremity of which the bait is affixed. This line is carried under the snow by boring holes in pieces of board and passing it through them; this also prevents the animal from pulling the bait out of the aim of the gun, which he discharges as soon as he hauls upon the line to obtain the meat. Instances have been known of wolves cutting the line close to the trigger of the gun, after which they eat the bait in safety.

By Poison. In this case strychnine is used, which is an infallible method, though the animals sometimes go to such a distance that it is difficult to follow their tracks; and if a fall of snow come after they have eaten the bait their bodies are often lost. About two grains are required to kill a wolf quickly. But as this article is already too long, I will defer the detailed account of the effect of strychnia on wild animals, until I write the article upon Foxes.

CANIS FAMILIARIS. Linn.

Var. Borealis, or Esquimaux Dog.

et Lagopus, or Hare Indian Dog.

Sp. ch. (of both). Size, about that of a pointer; ears small and pointed; head broad between ears, and tapering towards muzzle; colour varied, but whites and greys predominate; hair long and fine mixed, with thick under fur; tail long and bushy; general appearance that of a wolf.

In comprising the Hare Indian and Esquimaux dogs among the fur-bearing animals of this district, I am perfectly aware that, in a commercial point of view, they are not included among them; still, from their wild nature, as well as their long and thick fur, I consider that I may with strict propriety class them in the branch

of natural history upon which these notices treat. I should also wish to point out a few errors into which previous writers on these animals have fallen, as well as to submit to the philosophical world some of the results of my experiments and investigations in this branch of animated natnre.

The Esquimaux dog var. Borealis is found, as its name implies among the Huskey tribes of the Arctic coast. It is of considerable size, muscular and well-proportioned. The ears are small and pointed, and with a good breadth of skull between them, the muzzle is long and sharp, the eyes are placed at angles, not horizontally, the fur is deep and thick, the tail bushy, the feet broad and well covered, and the colour is generally pure white, though other shades are not uncommon.

It is said, with what correctness I cannot venture to say, that the voice of the Esquimaux dog in its native wilds is not a bark but a long melancholy howl. I have had several in my possession all of which barked lustily, but they may have learnt this accomplishment from the dogs of the fort. The similarity of appearance between this dog and the barren ground wolf is very great. It is a hardy animal capable of enduring great extremes of cold and hunger, but in the latter case it becomes very ferocious and instances have occurred of children being devoured by it.

There is no want of sagacity in the Esquimaux dog, its whole look tells of its wisdom and cunning. It is very sociable and fond of its master. When two of this breed of dogs begin fighting, the whole band light on one of the pair and if not prevented will tear him in pieces.

The Hare Indian dog, var. Lagopus, is the race domesticated among the Indians of the Mackenzie River District. It is characterised by a narrow, elongated and pointed muzzle, by erect sharp ears, and by a bushy tail not carried erect but only slightly curved upwards, as well as by a fine silky hair mixed with thick under fur. Its colour is tolerably varied in the shades of brown, grey, black, and white. Of these tints the darkest are the most rare. A white or greyish white being the most usual shade. Some writers have supposed this animal to be a domesticated white fox but the thing is highly improbable. The Indian dog, though there are great differences in its size, has on an average more than treble the proportions of this species of fox, moreover it will not have connection with this or any other branch of the sub

family Vulpino, while its varied shades of colour are never seen in the pure white pelt of the arctic fox; with wolves on the contrary, not only will they cohabit but will also produce a hybrid offspring that will for several generations procreate one with another. This fact manifests the close connection that both these varieties of dogs have to the wolves, and would almost prove them identical. Thus far I admit, but I do not, for reasons which I shall afterwards give, consider them only domesticated wolves. They are in my opinion, specimens rather of the parent canine stock unaltered by human experiments, and in appearance such as Adam might have named in the garden of Eden.

With foxes of any description neither these nor any other dogs will copulate. At Fort Resolution I had a very fine pair of cross foxes in confinement. They were kept within a roomy enclosure surmounted with lofty stockades. One of the windows of my dwelling-house commanded this enclosure, and at it I used to spend hours observing their actions and movements. When the bitch fox went in heat in the spring she had connection with her mate. And wishing to decide upon the extent of the affinity existing between the fox and the dog, I shut up a small terrier with her. There was no courtship, the parties were mutually indifferent. I tried Indian, half Indian, and our own hauling dogs, but with no success, they evidently would not enter into a matrimonial speculation, though they were friendly enough. This experiment may perhaps be allowed to decide the case in point.

Wild dogs are known to exist in many countries. The Ajuara of S. America, the Dhol of India, and the Dingo of Australia, for instance, all bear a close resemblance to each other, and to the Arctic American dogs, in the most essential particulars.. Therefore, seeing that wild dogs as distinct from wolves exist, it is to some such animal that I am inclined to attribute the origin of the dog. From the earliest ages the dog and wolf have been distinguished from each other, and the varieties to which this article is devoted, may have derived their certainly very wolfish appearance from crosses in the breed.

Whatever be the origin of these animals they are of the greatest service, in fact a necessity to the aboriginal dwellers in these dreary and barbarous wilds. They are the only beasts of burthen, and although they have not the strength of the fort dogs, still a train or team of three good ones, will haul a load of upwards of three hundred pounds, five hundred being considered a