Mammals taken Along the Alaska Highway Part 6

_Remarks._--The jumping mice listed above have been compared with specimens of _Z. h. hudsonius_ from Ontario and Michigan. The zone of contact between _Z. h. hudsonius_ and _Z. h. alascensis_ is still unknown; Alcorn obtained no specimens between Irons Creek and Whitehorse. To my knowledge there are no records from this extensive area.

Alcorn took _Zapus_ in gra.s.sy areas at the edge of water, in an old gravel pit, and at the site of an old sawmill. Animals were taken as early as June 30 and as late as September 2.

Zapus hudsonius alascensis Merriam

Meadow Jumping Mouse

_Zapus hudsonius alascensis_ Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 11:223, July 15, 1897. (Type from Yakutat Bay, Alaska.)

_Specimens examined._--Total 18, as follows: _Alaska_: 1 mi. SW Fairbanks, 440 ft., 1; E side Chilkat River, 100 ft., 9 mi. W and 4 mi. N Haines, 8. _Yukon Territory_: McIntyre Creek, 2250 ft., 3 mi. NW Whitehorse, 4; SW end Dezadeash Lake, 1. _British Columbia_: Stonehouse Creek, 5 mi. W jct. Stonehouse Creek and Kelsall River, 4.

_Remarks._--Specimens taken by Alcorn were compared with representatives of both _Z. princeps_ (Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon) and _Z.

hudsonius_ (Ontario, Michigan, Kansas, Wyoming). All have been referred to _Z. hudsonius_ although one female from Stonehouse Creek shows some tendency toward _Z. princeps_ in external measurements, length of upper molariform tooth-row, and length of incisive foramina.

Erethizon dorsatum myops Merriam

Porcupine

_Erethizon epixanthus myops_ Merriam, Proc. Washington Acad. Sci., 2:27, March 14, 1900. (Type from Portage Bay, Alaska Peninsula, Alaska.)

_Erethizon dorsatum myops_ Anderson and Rand, Canadian Jour. Res., 21:293, September 24, 1943.

_Specimens examined._--Total 2, as follows: _Alaska_: Yerrick Creek, 21 mi. W and 4 mi. N Tok Junction, 1. _Yukon Territory_: 2 mi. W Teslin River, 2400 ft., 16 mi. S and 56 mi. E Whitehorse, 1.

_Remarks._--Alcorn found little evidence of porcupines along the highway. The female from the Teslin River was found under a building.

The female from Yerrick Creek was in dense underbrush in a spruce forest and weighed 20 pounds.

Canis latrans incolatus Hall

Coyote

_Canis latrans incolatus_ Hall, Univ. California Publ. Zool., 40:369, November 5, 1934. (Type from Isaacs Lake, 3000 ft., Bowron Lake region, British Columbia, Canada.)

_Specimens examined._--Total 2, as follows: _Yukon Territory_: 25 mi.

NW Whitehorse, 1. _British Columbia_: Buckinghorse River, 94 mi. S Fort Nelson, 1.

Canis lupus pambasileus Elliot

Wolf

_Canis pambasileus_ Elliot, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 18:79, February 21, 1905. (Type from Susitna River, region of Mount McKinley, Alaska.)

_Canis lupus pambasileus_ Goldman, Jour. Mamm., 18:45, February 14, 1937.

_Specimens examined._--Total 3, as follows: _Yukon Territory_: E side Aishihik River, 17 mi. N Canyon, 1; SW end Dezadeash Lake, 1; Marshall Creek, 3 mi. N Dezadeash River, 1.

_Remarks._--Alcorn reported wolf sign at many of his camps along the highway. Skulls were obtained from trappers.

Canis lupus occidentalis Richardson

Wolf

_Canis lupus occidentalis_ Richardson, Fauna Boreali-Americana, 1:60, 1829. (Type not designated, restricted to Fort Simpson, Mackenzie, Canada, by Miller, Smithson. Misc. Coll., 59 (no. 15):4, June 8, 1912.)

_Specimens examined._--Two from _British Columbia_: Buckinghorse River, 94 mi. S Fort Nelson.

Canis lupus columbia.n.u.s Goldman

Wolf

_Canis lupus columbia.n.u.s_ Goldman, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 54:110, September 30, 1941. (Type from Wistaria, north side of Ootsa Lake, Coast District, British Columbia, Canada.)

_Specimens examined._--One from _British Columbia_: Screw Creek, 10 mi. S and 50 mi. E Teslin.

Vulpes fulva abietorum Merriam

Red Fox

_Vulpes alascensis abietorum_ Merriam, Proc. Washington Acad. Sci., 2:669, December 28, 1900. (Type from Stuart Lake, British Columbia, Canada.)

_Vulpes fulva abietorum_ Bailey, Nature Mag., 28:317, November 1936.

_Specimens examined._--Total 11, as follows: _Yukon Territory_: 6 mi.

SW Kluane, 2559 ft., 1; Marshall Creek, 3 mi. N Dezadeash River, 6; Champagne, N side Dezadeash River, 3; 1 mi. E Tatshenshini River, 1 mi. S and 3 mi. E Dalton Post, 1.

_Remarks._--Specimens obtained are skulls only, mostly taken in the winter months by trappers. One fox was found dead with porcupine quills stuck in and around its mouth.

Ursus america.n.u.s cinnamomum Audubon and Bachman

Black Bear

_Ursus america.n.u.s var. cinnamomum_ Audubon and Bachman, Quadr.

North Amer., 3; 125, 1854. (Type from Northern Rocky Mountains.)

_Specimens examined._--Total 3, as follows: _British Columbia_: 10 mi.

W Fort Nelson, 1; Buckinghorse River, 94 mi. S Fort Nelson, 2.

_Remarks._--One large, uns.e.xed skull from Buckinghorse River with part of the rostrum gone has the frontal shield strongly dished. A young adult female taken 10 miles west of Fort Nelson on August 23, 1948, has the following external measurements: Total length, 1345; tail, 65; hind foot, 256; ear from notch, 135.

Ursus species