MAMMALS OF THE YUKON REGION. 



Bv Wilfred H. Osgood. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The following list, primarily based on collections made during the 

 past year, includes all the known mammals of the Yukon region. 

 Besides the species which belong strictly to the Yukon, are included 

 those found in the Lynn Canal and White Pass districts and those 

 known to occur at St. Michael. This makes a list containing the majority 

 of the mammals known from Alaska, which is not, however, intended 

 to be comprehensive, but should be considered as supplementary to 

 the list published by Nelson in 1887. As may be seen from the itin- 

 erary, our collections were made during a hasty trip from the coast of 

 southeastern Alaska to the head waters of the Yukon and thence down 

 the river to St. Michael. Good series of all the common small mam- 

 mals were secured, but the larger and rarer species were not often 

 obtained. It was not only difficult to secure specimens of the larger 

 mammals, but it was hard to gain much accurate information in regard 

 to them. Most of the miners we met had lieen in the country but a 

 short time and their knowledge of animals was limited; natives were 

 seldom met on the upper river and the few that were interviewed 

 seemed disinclined to talk. The fur trade on the Yukon has dwindled 

 to comparatively meager proportions. The Indians still bring a few 

 furs to the traders every year and receive pittances of flour and tea in 

 return; but the trade is apparently very small and were it not for the 

 transportation business which has recently become so important, the 

 large companies would doubtless find it difficult to maintain themselves. 



In identifying the recently collected specimens and studying their 

 geographical distril)ution, it has been necessary to refer constantly to 

 the specimens collected by Kennicott, Dall, Nelson, and Turner. Many 

 of these, which are in the National Museum, were found to be in poor 

 condition and required considerable renovating to make them compar- 

 able with modern specimens. For the free use of these specimens I 

 am indebted to Gerrit S. Miller, jr., assistant curator of manunals 

 in the National Museum. I am also indebted to Outram Bangs for 

 the use of specimens, and E. W. Nelson for much valuable informa- 

 tion. The identifications of some of the mammals have been verified 



21 



