THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 



VOL. XXXIV. 



APRIL, 1920. 



No. 4. 



NOTES ON THE MAMMALS OF RIDOUT. DISTRICT OF SUDBURY, 



ONTARIO. 



By J. Dewey Soper. 



The comparative isolation of much of Northern 

 Ontario from centres of habitation, seems a reason- 

 able cause for the relative dearth of literature on 

 the mammals from this region. The smaller species 

 have, naturally, received little attention, and much 

 is yet to be known about them, notably in regard 

 to their range and life histories. Big game hunting 

 and the fur-trade have doubtless conduced to a 

 greater familiarity with the larger mammals than 

 would otherwise have been the case. So far as is 

 known the Ridout country has had no detailed in- 

 vestigation of its animal life; because of this fact 

 the present paper based upon a collection of 55 

 mammals and observations thereon made in the 

 immediate vicinity of Ridout is presented. 



The first visit to the locality was from October 

 20 to November 2, 1917, efforts being mainly 

 directed to the accumulation of notes on the larger 

 mammals and birds of that period. With the present 

 paper in view a return was made the following 

 year, from October I to November 1 , with every 

 provision for the collection of specimens in order to 

 round out the data as fully as possible. 



The Jumping Mice (Zapus hudsonicus and 

 Insignis) were not secured, due partly to their early 

 habit of hibernation. No bats were observed, nor 

 Flying Squirrels (Sciuropferus sabrinus). No 

 signs were seen of the Star-nosed Mole (Condy- 

 lura crisiata). Various circumstances prevent the 

 list from being complete. 



Ridout is situated on the Canadian Pacific Rail- 

 way, 132 miles north-west of Sudbury, 166 miles 

 south-east of White River, 96 miles north of Lake 

 Huron and 280 miles south-west of James Bay. 

 It is located upon the northern height of land at 

 an elevation of 1 ,364 feet above the sea and 778 

 feeet above Lake Superior. The surrounding hills 

 range in altitude from 1 ,400 feet to probably 2,000 

 feet. Magnetic variation is about six degrees west 

 of astronomical north. 



The whole region is intersected by hundreds of 

 streams and dotted with countless lakes of all sizes. 

 Many feeders of that noble stream, the Moose River, 



find their source along the height of land, converg- 

 ing fan-like to the majestic tide that sweeps nortlv 

 ward to James Bay. Others, notably the Spanish 

 River, flow southward to the Great Lakes. 



The general character of the country about 

 Ridout is that of vast rolling forested hills with 

 frequent outcrops of gneiss or perhaps schist and 

 greenstone. Some distance to the east, however, the 

 region is broken into gigantic rock masses, moun- 

 tains, and escarpments of desolate and infinite 

 grandeur. The whole lies to-day as through all 

 the ages. 



Ridout lies well within the Canadian zone and 

 in floral aspect resembles broadly that of all tim- 

 bered sections west of Sudbury. Occasional boreal 

 "islands" suggest the stunted evergreen forests of 

 the Hudsonian zone. Conifers are everywhere pre- 

 dominant, the greater portion of the woods con- 

 sisting of White and Black Spruce (Picea 

 canadensis and mariana). Balsam Fir, (Abies 

 balsamea) and Banksian or Jack Pine, (Pinus 

 ban}(siana). Yellow and Canoe or White Birch 

 (Betula lutea and papyrijeTa) occur, the latter 

 especially being common and growing frequently in 

 pure stands upcn the side-hills. White and Red 

 Pine (Pinus sirobus and resinosa) flourish in vary- 

 ing numbers. The remaining common trees of the 

 forest are Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Tamarack 

 (Larix laricina). White Cedar (Tsuga occidental- 

 is). Aspen Poplar (Populus tremuloides). Balsam 

 Poplar (Populus balsamifera) occurring on low 

 ground along lakes and streams. Alder (Alnus in- 

 cana) and the Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum). 

 Salix rosirata is the only tree-like willow. Blue- 

 berries are usually an abundant crop, and numerous 

 flowers, particularly the wild rose, I understand, 

 grow in great profusion during the northern sum- 

 mer. Mosses and lichens occur almost everywhere 

 on rocks, logs, ground and upon the branches of 

 standing trees. 



The avifauna of the region for October while 

 inextensive will convey certain impressions in a 

 brief list, impossible to other things. Birds noted 



