FAUNA AND FLORA. 27 



Wolf. — Ganis hodophylax (?). Found onKunashir and Yetorup. 

 It is rarely seen. 



Foxes. — (Red) Vid'pes fulviis. 



(Black) „ „ var. argentatus. 



(Cross) „ „ var. decussatus. 



(Yezo) „ „ ? 



Foxes are plentiful on most of the islands. The only places 

 without them are Shirinkj I., Ekarma I., Chirinkotan I., Raikoke 

 I., Ushishir I., Makanruru I., and the Black Brothers Is. The foxes 

 on the central Kurils are said to have been placed thereon by the 

 natives, who brought them from the north. The winter skins of 

 these animals are remarkably fine, and there is a large proportion 

 of cross and silver grey amongst them. The foxes of Kunashir and 

 Yetorup, and probably also of Urup, are the same as those of Yezo. 

 The red variety predominates, but occasionally cross and grey ones 

 are met with ; the skins, however, are not so fine as those of the 

 central islands. 



Land-otter. — Lutronectes ivJdteleyi. Fairly common on Kunashir 

 and Yetorup. It may, perhaps, also exist on Urup, but has not been 

 seen by the writer. 



Martin. — Mustela brachyura. 



Japanese sable, Mustela melampus. 



Found on Kunashir and Yetorup only. There are probabl}' 

 also some other members of the Martin tribe. 



Rodents. — Hare, Lepus {?). Found on Kunashir and Yetorup, 

 It turns white in winter. 



Squirrels. — On the southern islands only. 



Bat. — On southern islands only. 



Lemming. — On Paramushir, Onekotan, and Shumshir the ground 

 in places is honeycombed by these small animals. 



■ Marine Mammals. — 



Sea-otter. — Enhydra marina. Found all along the Kuril 

 chain. 



Fur Seal. — Otaria ursina. Numbers are seen off the coasts, 

 but the three "rookeries" of Srednoi, Kaikoke, and Mushir aie 

 now all but deserted. 



Sea-lion. — Otaria stelleri. Exists in large numbers. There 



