Rollin H. Baker

The text presented is essentially that in the original printed document with the exception of some minor punctuation changes and the typographical corrections detailed below.

Typographical Corrections

Page 103 (Dawson Red-backed Mouse) :	Territoy	=>	Territory
Page 104 (Muskrat) :	Mann.	=>	Mamm.
Page 114 (Red Fox) :	procupine	=>	porcupine

Mammals from along the Alaska Highway were obtained for the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History in the summers of 1947 and 1948 by Mr. J. R. Alcorn, field representative of the Museum. He and his family visited Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and Alaska in an automobile and trailer from June 9, 1947, to September 6, 1947, and again from June 8, 1948, to August 24, 1948. In 1947, considerable time was spent by Alcorn in Alaska; trips were made on the Steese Highway to Circle and on the Glenn Highway to Anchorage. In 1948, most of the collecting was done in British Columbia and in the Yukon Territory but a side trip was taken to Haines, Alaska. The collecting stations are shown in figure 1. Alcorn's 1,252 specimens include several large series from areas where few or no mammals had been taken previously. Time spent at each collecting station was of short duration (usually less than three days) and although 56 species and subspecies of mammals are represented in the collections, it is recognized that not all of the kinds of mammals at any one locality were taken.

For the loan of comparative mammalian material, grateful acknowledgment is made to officials of the following institutions: California Academy of Sciences; Biological Surveys collection of the U. S. National Museum; Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C.; National Museum of Canada. The promptness of officials of the game commissions of the provinces and territories concerned, in providing permits for collecting also is acknowledged. A part of the funds for field work was made available by a grant from the Kansas University Endowment Association. Elevations above sea level are given in feet. Capitalized color terms refer to those in Ridgway, Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, Washington, D. C., 1912.

Remarks.—Shrews from extreme northwestern British Columbia (Stonehouse Creek) average slightly larger than typical S. c. cinereus, especially in length of tail. These animals show definite evidence of intergradation with the larger subspecies, S. c. streatori, but are referable to S. c. cinereus. The pallor of some shrews from east-central Alaska (Chatanika River and Salcha River) suggests intergradation with the pale S. c. hollisteri.

Alcorn found the cinereous shrew at most of his trapping stations. It was captured in mouse traps baited with "chewed" rolled oats; one was taken in a trap baited with a grasshopper. Rand (1944:35) and Alcorn each found this shrew to be one of the commoner mammals along the Alaska Highway, but Alcorn did not find it to be so abundant as some of the rodents in areas in which he trapped. The cinereous shrew was taken principally in moist woodlands, grassy areas, and adjacent to water. One female taken on July 18 was lactating.

Remarks.—Average and extreme external measurements of the nine adult specimens from 1 mile south of Haines are as follows: Total length, 103 (98-105); tail, 45 (43-46); and condylobasal length, 16.2 (16.0-16.4). Corresponding measurements of an adult specimen (No. 1676, UKMNH) from Sitka, Alaska, are 108, 47, and 16.5. Measurements of ten adult specimens from the Chilkat River, 9 miles west and 4 miles north of Haines, are 100 (91-106), 44 (40-50), 16.0 (15.5-16.5). The slightly smaller average size of the latter specimens indicates a trend toward the smaller S. c. cinereus, which occurs farther inland. Skulls of some of the specimens from the Chilkat River have a more slender rostrum than those of the specimens from 1 mile south of Haines, and more nearly resemble S. c. cinereus in this respect. Evidently, as indicated by Jackson (1928:54), S. c. streatori occupies only an extremely narrow strip of mainland in the vicinity of Haines.

Remarks.—Both specimens of this pale subspecies were trapped, along with six Clethrionomys and one Mus, in a grassy area bordered on one side by the road and on the other by a spruce forest. No. 21069, ♂?, taken on August 21, is in molt, with one patch of new fur on the rump and another along the midline of the nape and shoulders.

Remarks.—Some of the shrews taken in extreme southwestern Yukon Territory (1½ miles south and 3 miles east of Dalton Post) and in extreme northwestern British Columbia (Stonehouse Creek and Mt. Glave) show evidence of intergradation with the coastal subspecies, S. o. alascensis, in length of hind foot. These individuals have a long hind foot (14 and 15); the hind feet of specimens from the other localities listed measure 13 and 14.

Alcorn, like Rand (1944:35), found the dusky shrew to be less common than the cinereous shrew; both were taken in the same trap lines. The dusky shrew was taken at a higher altitude (4000 feet, on Mt. Glave) than the cinereous shrew.

Remarks.—These three shrews, in comparison with those referred to S. o. obscurus, are paler, and the one complete skull has a slightly higher braincase. All of the specimens were obtained in grassy areas adjacent to the roadway.

Remarks.—Those males with worn teeth seem to have a slightly longer and deeper rostrum with a larger, more inflated cranium than specimens of S. p. navigator from Washington, but in other ways resemble typical S. p. navigator. An adult male, with slightly worn teeth, from Dezadeash Lake has sagittal and lambdoidal crests. All of the water shrews were taken in July and early August and at the edge of water in traps baited with rolled oats. None of the females had embryos.

Remarks.—The 38 bats were from a colony of approximately 75 individuals, found on the south side of a house. The paper was loose and had buckled in numerous places allowing room for the bats to ensconce themselves between the paper and outside wall.

Remarks.—The specimen is considerably darker both above and below than either of two specimens of M. l. alascensis from Red Bluff Bay, Alaska. Alcorn searched ten frame buildings in an abandoned camp on the east side of Screw Creek, for bats and found only the one bat. It was above some droppings. No droppings were found in other buildings.

Remarks.—In comparing specimens obtained by Alcorn with published descriptions of O. collaris in Howell (1924:35), it appeared that measurable geographic variation might be present in this monotypic species. Accordingly, comparisons were made with materials in the Biological Surveys collection of the U. S. National Museum, the Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C., and the National Museum of Canada. A comparison of specimens of similar ages showed that no subspecific separation is justified although animals from the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, and Northwest Territories, as compared with available material from Alaska, tend to be grayer in color and longer in total length with a slightly larger skull and greater alveolar length of molariform tooth-row in both upper and lower jaws.

Specimens used for comparison were from the following localities: Alaska: Mts. near Eagle (USBS), 15; 200 mi. S Fort Yukon (USBS), 2; Upper Little Delta River, Glacier Creek, Mt. Hayes region (USBS), 1; Glacier Creek, Mt. Hayes region (USBS), 3; Little Delta River, Slate Creek, Red Mt. Camp, Mt. Hayes region (USBS), 1; Muldron Glacier, Mt. McKinley (USBS), 2; Mt. McKinley (USBS), 3; Summit of Chugach Mts., on Richardson Highway, N of Valdez (USBS), 1; Chitina River Glacier (Nat. Mus. Canada), 3. Yukon Territory: McMillan Pass, Canol Road, mile 282 (Nat. Mus. Canada), 2; Rose River, Canol Road, mile 95 (Nat. Mus. Canada), 8; Tepee Lake (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1; Conrad (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1; near Teslin Lake (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1. Northwest Territories: headwaters of Caracajou River, Canol Road, mile 111E (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1. British Columbia: White Mt., Moose Arm, Tagish Lake, Atlin (Prov. Mus., Victoria, B.C.), 2.

Remarks.—Alcorn reports seeing few hares on his two trips to Alaska. Near the Miniker River, a geologist told him that the numbers of these animals had steadily declined since 1943. One of three seen in a spruce forest on July 8, 1947, near Whitehorse was taken by Alcorn. A young one was captured in a rat trap in a building near the Teslin River on July 5 of the same year.

Remarks.—Rand (1944:42) experienced difficulty in assigning subspecific names to red squirrels taken along the Alaska Highway in northern British Columbia. Some variability as found by Rand is noted in adults taken by Alcorn in this area. All of the specimens assigned to T. h. columbiensis have a darker tail and more tawny feet than T. h. preblei. The average of skulls of adults is smaller than the skull of an adult of T. h. preblei from Yerrick Creek, Alaska.

Alcorn obtained most of the squirrels in rat traps and steel traps, using "chewed" rolled oats as well as bits of fish and mouse bodies as bait.

Remarks.—Specimens from extreme southwestern Yukon Territory appear to be referable to this subspecies. The one adult female (skull only, with body measurements) from the southwestern end of Dezadeash Lake has a shorter skull than does any adult female of T. h. columbiensis. No skins of adults are in the series, but the skins of three subadults have darker upper parts, a darker tail and less olivaceous sides than T. h. columbiensis.

Remarks.—In comparison with specimens of T. h. hudsonicus from Iskwasum Lake, District of the Pas, Manitoba, the squirrel from Yerrick Creek, an adult female, is larger and paler on the upper parts and tail.

The squirrel taken at Yerrick Creek was captured in a rat trap; Alcorn found these animals to be "fairly common" in that area. He obtained no evidence that the natives use them for food.

Remarks.—The specimens vary much in color; most color variation is the result of wear and fading. In pallor of coloration the specimens taken on August 16 along the Richardson Highway, 32 miles south and 4 miles west of Big Delta, Alaska, show some resemblance to C. p. ablusus, which occurs to the westward, although in other diagnostic characters these specimens are typically C. p. plesius.

Specimens in early stages of molt were taken on July 3, 4, and 14; another specimen in an advanced stage of molt was obtained on July 10. One melanistic individual was taken one mile northeast of Whitehorse on July 11.

Alcorn found these ground squirrels locally abundant, especially in the vicinity of Whitehorse in Yukon Territory. A large population was observed along the highway west of the Teslin River; animals were seen for several miles along the road, principally in open coniferous forests where there was little or no underbrush. Alcorn caught several animals near the city dump at Whitehorse. Along the Richardson Highway he observed these ground squirrels almost continuously for approximately ten miles. He comments that the animals appeared to be more numerous in the man-cleared areas along the highway than in "unmolested areas farther back from the highway." Specimens were taken with collecting gun and in rat traps baited with "chewed" rolled oats.

Remarks.—Specimens with worn pelage are conspicuously paler and grayer than those in fresh pelage. Chipmunks in early stages of molt with fresh pelage extending posteriorly to the middle of the dorsal part of the back were taken on June 19, 20, and 22; others in fresh pelage above, except for the hind quarters, were taken on June 15 and on September 2.

Alcorn found this species nowhere abundant; for example, in 187 museum special traps set near Charlie Lake, 5 miles west and 3 miles north of Fort St. John, in British Columbia, he took only one chipmunk.

Remarks.—Some of the specimens taken between Summit Pass and Toad River show evidence of intergradation between the paler and grayer E. m. caniceps and the brighter and browner E. m. borealis. Rand (1944:41) also found evidence of intergradation between these two subspecies in this area.

Along the highway, Alcorn found this species to be somewhat more abundant in the Yukon Territory than in British Columbia. He often found the animals occupying abandoned road camps; seemingly they were more numerous in these areas than in undisturbed natural habitat.

Remarks.—Although comparative material is not available at this writing, descriptions in the literature indicate that this single adult female belongs to the coastal form, G. s. zaphaeus. In both color and in cranial and external measurements, this specimen appears to agree closely with descriptions given by Howell (1918:43) and by Cowan (1937:78 and 82), although its measurements are also in the range of those given for G. s. alpinus by Cowan (loc. cit.). It may be pointed out that Swarth (1936:402) regarded a specimen from 15 miles south of Atlin, British Columbia, as G. s. alpinus.

Measurements of Alcorn's specimen are as follows: total length, 331; tail, 143; hind foot, 42; ear from notch, 23; greatest length of skull, 41.7; zygomatic breadth, 25.7; mastoid breadth, 21.7; length of nasals, 12.2; length maxillary tooth-row, 8.2; interorbital constriction, 8.2; and postorbital constriction, 9.0.

Remarks.—Two beaver skulls obtained by Alcorn from trapper Johnny Pie appear to be of this subspecies. Anderson (1947:133) records this subspecies from the Liard River, in the area from which these specimens were taken. The trapper told Alcorn that he shot these two beavers in the winter of 1947-48 and hung the skulls in a tree.

Remarks.—Specimens from the localities listed above are in the geographic range of P. m. algidus as outlined by Anderson (1947: 136). Specimens from the vicinity of Haines, Alaska, are slightly darker indicating intergradation with P. m. hylaeus; Osgood (1909a: 54 and 56) also noted that intergradation between P. m. algidus and P. m. hylaeus occurs in this area.

Remarks.—Specimens from 2 miles west of Teslin River resemble P. m. borealis more than P. m. algidus both in size of skull and in color, although I find it difficult to distinguish the specimens by color.

Alcorn, like Rand (1945:43), found the mouse in almost every habitat along the Alaska Highway. On the east side of the Minaker River, one mile west of Trutch, Alcorn took 26 Peromyscus and four Microtus in 70 museum special traps baited with chewed rolled oats, set in a grassy area where there were birches and clumps of willows. Peromyscus was usually abundant in old construction camps along the highway; on July 27 in 50 traps set under abandoned buildings at Summit Pass, Alcorn took 21 Peromyscus. Apparently, as Swarth (1936:402) notes, the white-footed mouse makes itself at home in such buildings, and local populations probably increase as a result of the artificial environment that provides favorable conditions for existence.

Remarks.—Wood rats were obtained at only two locations, Alcorn's field notes indicating that the animals were rare and spotty in distribution. Rand (1944:44) comments that the rats were "scarce north of the Lower Liard Crossing."

At both localities where specimens were taken, Alcorn noted first their characteristic droppings. At Summit Pass, droppings were found in a rock slide at the upper limit of timber line; one rat was taken. At the trapping station five miles west and three miles north of Fort St. John, droppings were found in and under an old abandoned building; four young (two prepared) and one adult were obtained.

Synaptomys (Mictomys) dalli Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 10:62, March 19, 1896. (Type from Nulato, Alaska.)

Synaptomys borealis dalli A. B. Howell, N. Amer. Fauna, 50:24, (June 30) August 5, 1927.