Dal!.] - 144 [November 4, 



The observer cannot but have noticed that in most physico-geo- 

 graphic maps of North America, the Rocky Mountain range is 

 prolonged in a straight line, corresponding to the general trend of 

 those mountains, to the Northern Ocean. This is an error. Abou*'. 

 lat. 64° the Rock}' Mountains trend to the westward, and meet tht 

 Coast Range in a confused, high rolling country, the distinctive char- 

 acters of both ranges being lost. These mountains, however, soon 

 a])pear to merge in one high volcanic range, trending to the westward, 

 and afterwards to the southward, and forming the backbone of the 

 peninsula of Aliaska. A gap occurs to the northward, between the 

 Mackenzie and Porcupine Rivers, fillet! with low rolling hills. Along 

 the shores of the Northern Ocean from the mouth of the Mackenzie 

 westward, a separate range exists, following the trend of the shore, 

 nearly jiarallel with the southern volcanic range, and terminating in 

 a few high peaks near the mouth of the Colville River. This range 

 has long been marked as the Romauzoff Mountains, being a land- 

 mark for whalers who pass Point Barrow. For the southern volcanic 

 range Mr. Dall suggested the name of the Alaskan Mountains. 



I'he gap before mentioned between the two ranges leads to unex- 

 pected faunal differences. The West Coast fauna is bounded on the 

 north by the Alaskan Mountains, while the valley of the Youkon 

 possesses a northern and eastern faui^a. Birds, like Colapies awatus, 

 Ampelis garrulus, etc., abound, the western or midland faunal types 

 of Coloj)ies (Iryhridus or mcxicanus) being wanting. 



White bears in large numbers are reported on a solitary island, St. 

 Matthews. 



One species of frog, the solitary reptile, is found all over the 

 country. 



The fish arc jjrincipally white fish, salmon, pike, catfish (losh), 

 and a large species of sucker. The cod abounds in millions about the 

 Aleutian islands and Kodiak. 



Land shells of the genera Helix, PupWa and Succinea ; fresh wa- 

 ter shells, such as Flcnwrhis, Lymnea, Valvata, Pisidium, Sphoerium 

 and Anodon ; and the usual northern marine forms are found north 

 of the islands. 



The country, except on the extreme sea coast, is heavily timbered 

 with spruce, poplar (2 sp.), Mr<;h (2 sp.), willow (? sp.), alder and 

 larch. The most northern pines on the Youkon are found at Fort 

 Selkirk, in the Hudson Bay Company's Territory, two thousand miles 

 from the sea. 



