THE CARIBOU OF THE KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA. 



By D. G. Elliot, F.R.S.E. 



In an article lately published in the Bulletin of the American 

 Museum of Natural History, New York, vol. xiv, p. 143, Dr. J. A. 

 Allen describes as a distinct species the caribou of the Kenai Penin- 

 sula, Alaska, his material being only the head and horns of a male 

 obtained by Mr. A. J. Stone, after whom the animal is named. Dr. 

 Allen bases his distinctive characters upon the dark color of the head; 

 heavy fringe of white hair on the front of the neck, large size and 

 peculiar form of the " anterior branch " of the antlers, and the "narrow 

 and slender skull." 



There has been for the past two years or more in the possession 

 of Mr. H. E. Lee of this city, by whom it was shot in Alaska on the 

 Kenai Peninsula, a complete mounted specimen of a very fine male 

 caribou, and also a flat skin, without the head, of a cow killed at the 

 same place and on the same day. A description of the bull is here 

 given : 



Male caribou shot by Mr. H. E. Lee on the Kenai Peninsula, 

 Alaska, 5th September, 1898. End of nose extending back slightly 

 beyond anterior border of nostrils, and all of lower lip in front, silvery 

 white. Band across lower lip, posterior to the white and extending 

 on to the nose behind nostrils (darkening this portion more than the 

 rest), and upper part of nose and head to between the horns, dark 

 chocolate brown. Cheeks and throat paler and of a redder brown ; 

 a white ring around eyes ; rest of head and neck and fore part of 

 shoulders mixed black and white, having a pepper and salt appear- 

 ance (probably all white in winter), with a short whitish fringe in 

 front of neck, lighter than the neck but not presenting a very strong 

 contrast to it. Rest of body, legs and upper part of tail, dark red- 

 dish or chocolate brown, palest on the shoulders and front part of 

 legs, and darkest on the belly, where it is a blackish brown. Inner 



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