288 



NATURAL HISTOEY COLLEOTIOXS IN ALASKA. 



from where he started the game, and takes positiou where he cau commaud a broad piece of forest. 

 The Moose makes a wide circuit, and very frequently returns close by his enemy, and falls a victim 

 to this habit. Dressed moose-skins are used for making lodge-covers, clothing, and cords. 



The introduction of fire-arms among the natives has rapidly diminished this fine animal, and 

 its extinction in Alaska is but a matter of comparatively a few years. 



According to Petroft', the Moose crosses the Alaskan mountains and is found on the Pacific 

 slope about Keuai Peuiusuhx. 



Delphinapterxjs oatodon (Linn.). White Whale (Esk. tS^-touJc). 



lu one of the two skulls of young females obtained at Saint Michaels the primitive shape of 

 the teeth is well shown. The principal mass of the tooth consists of an irregular, compressed cyl- 

 inder of cement. From the top of the cylinder protrudes the tongue-shaped extremity of the small 

 rod of dentine which forms the core of the tooth. In the older specimen the dentine core is worn 

 down to level of the cement, tlie top of which is also worn away so that the whole tooth is conical. 



The proportions of the skull vary so much in the White Whale that comparisons of these young- 

 specimens with others from the North Atlantic are of no especial value in throwing light on the 

 question of the number of existing species of BelpMnapterus. 



List of sjiccimens. 



Measurements. 



Total lensth (a;roati'st) 



Length of beak from base of maxillary notches 



Breadth of beak at base of notches 



Breadth of beak at its middle 



Breadth of intermaxillaries at same point 



Greatest breadth between outer margins of intermaxillary proximally 



Length of superior tooth-line 



Lasttooth to base of maxillary notch 



Tip of beak to anterior mari:in superior nasal opening 



Tip of beak to extremity of pteryi^oids 



Breadth between orbital processes of frontal 



Breadth between binder margins of temporal fossse 



Length of temporal fossa 



Depth of temporal fossa 



Total length of mandible 



liCngth of symphysis of mandible 



Length of tooth-row of mandible 



Depth between angle and coronoid process - 



Number of teeth 



Mnseum number, i Museum number, 

 22207 ; collector's I 22208 ; collector'fl 

 number, 268 ? . [ number, 269 $ . 



Biographical notes. — This species is the most abundant as well as one of the smallest cetaceans 

 found along the Alaskan coast north of the Aleutian Islands. From Bristol Bay north to Point 

 Barrow and thence east to the mouth of the Mackenzie Eiver it is a common summer resident. It 

 is particularly numerous about the mouths of rivers, and frequently ascends the larger streams far 

 above tide-water. The severe Arctic winters force them to become migratory over much of their 

 range. They move south in fall as the pack-ice comes down from the north in October, and winter 

 in large numbers on the coast of Bering Sea from Cape Vancouver south. They appear to have a 

 far greater liking for the mouths of the fresh- water streams and shallow coast, such as are found on 

 the American side of Bering Sea and the Arctic, than for the cold and deep water found on the 

 Siberian shore. 



