Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology 19 



which the fireweed {CJiauiacncrion aiigitstifoliuiii ) is most 

 prominent. A number of areas dominated by this type of 

 vegetation were seen, but the type seems to be short-hved, and 

 is probably quickly replaced by shrubs and tree seedlings. The 

 stages in succession following a fire in swampy areas may be 

 somewhat different from that in a hardwood region, but no 

 data was obtained. No opportunity presented itself to study 

 the mammals of the herbaceous stage, and I have no records 

 for the species found there. 



Shrub stage: Following a fire or clearing in a hardwood 



area the herbaceous stage is apparently quickly followed by 

 a thick growth of shrubs and young trees. The characters of 

 the shrub growth vary considerably with the texture of the 

 soil, amount of soil moisture, slope, and completeness of 

 burning. The growth is usually quite thick, though in some 

 clearings where the growth has been kept down for some time 

 there may be open grassy patches. In small clearings near 

 Fish-hawk Lake the raspberry {Rnhus strigosus) is a char- 

 acteristic species, but near Little Girl's Point it is much less 

 common. A large area of shrub studied near Little Girl's 

 Point is on a rather steep slope facing to the north, though 

 part is at the bottom of the hill on a very gentle slope. There 

 are no large trees, but saplings up to 2j/-iuch trunks occur; 

 most, however, are smaller. The quaking and large-toothed 

 aspens {Populus tremuloidcs and P. grandidentata), paper 

 and yellow birches (Betula papyrlfera and B. lutea), sugar 

 maple, and linden are common seedlings. Shrubs, such as the 

 sinnac [Rhus hirta), wild cherry (Prunus pcnnsyivanica) , 

 raspberry, willows (Salix spp.), mountain maple, red-berried 

 elder {Samhucus racemosa), and hazel are common. A few 

 herbs, like the fireweed, golden-rod, and pearly everlasting, 

 occur in open places. 



