16 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



and is prolonged southward, as shown, along elevated plateaus 

 and mountains in irregular capes and islands as far as Mexico. 

 Among the many characteristic mammals and birds of the 

 Canadian Zone are the Porcupines, Woodland Caribou, 

 Star-nosed, Brewer and Gibbs Moles, Water-shrews, Voles 

 and Long-tailed Shrews of various species. Northern Jumping- 

 mice. The north limit of this Fauna forms the northern limit 

 of the large Skunks, the Star-nosed Moles, the Hoary-bat, the 

 Woodchuck, etc. Its southern edge is also the southern limit 

 of the Canada Lynx, the Wolverene, Pine-martens, Moose, 

 Caribou, the Porcupines, and various species of Short-tailed 

 Meadow-mice of the genus Phenacomys, etc. Characteristic 

 birds are the white-throated sparrow, Blackburnian, yellow- 

 rumped, and Audubon warblers, olive-backed thrush, hermit- 

 thrush, three-toed woodpeckers, crossbills, and Canada jays. 

 It is found in two subfaunas: 



(a) The Canadian subfauna, or Canadian proper, extend- 

 ing in its main area from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the east 

 slope of the Coast Range. This is a land of coniferous trees and 

 aspens. Among its characteristic animals are Moose, Wood- 

 land Caribou, Canada Porcupine, hermit-thrush, spruce grouse. 



(b) The Rocky Mountain subfauna, extending from South- 

 ern British Columbia southward along the higher mountains 

 into Mexico. The Mountain Caribou, Canadian Mountain- 

 sheep, the Yellow-haired Porcupine, Yellow-bellied Marmot, 

 Rhoads Marten, Baird Hare, etc., are characteristic of its 

 main area. 



The Sitkan Fauna might be considered a west-coast 

 division of the Canadian. It is characterized chiefly by ex- 

 ceptional rainfall, dense forests, and heavy-coloured races of 

 birds and mammals that have a wide distribution; but it has 

 very few distinctive species of animals. 



The Pacific Coast Fauna, comprising the immediate coast 

 from Queen Charlotte Islands down to middle California, 

 characterized by mild winters, very heavy rainfall, forests of 



