1850 TO 1865 361 



As I said before, while this Institution, like myself, thinks it but 

 the just due of you all who have collected so diligently and well, 

 that the report of the results of your operations should be such as 

 would do you all credit, at the same time I would beg that you too 

 should all continue to do your part as well as you have done. 



Now, oh, McFarlane, by the memory of our snarls and growls 

 at each other and following reconciliations, by the many times you 

 did my camp work for me, by the recollection of that fur robe and 

 blanket sewed together, under which we slept so many nights, I con- 

 jure you send me out every shrew, arvicola, lemming, rabbit, and 

 ermine you can lay hands on and skulls with all if possible. 



SHREWS 

 ARVICOLAE 

 With skulls LEMMINGS With skulls in 'em. 



ERMINES 



In summer and winter dress. 



I have not yet studied anything up thoroughly except the Sciu- 

 ridse, but though I've not determined the others I've looked far 

 enough to find that there are a number of Arvicolae, lemmings and 

 ermines not in Baird or Richardson; some rabbits also. 



Prof. Baird is monographing the shrews and gets several new 

 species from the North. 



The small siffleur of Fort Good Hope and Yukon is true Spermo- 

 philus parryi. The big one of the mountains is Arctomys pruinosus 

 true A. monax, var. empetra is found on Liard River and south of 

 Slave Lake. 



Please try hard to get more of that large red-backed Arvicola 

 with very short tail. Prof. Baird declares it is not a true Arvicola 

 and I declare it is not a lemming, and I rather suspect it will prove 

 a new genus as well as species. 



Close observation will show you numerous species of both Arvi- 

 colae and lemmings and doubtless of ermines and shrews as well. 

 The species of these animals generally resemble each other very 

 closely, and it is only by having numerous good specimens that we 

 can settle these knotty points. I find the skulls often give important 

 specific characters. It is not worth while to spend much time on 

 skeletons they are not so important as skulls. 



