The Caribou 285 



have been described, R. montanus from British 

 Columbia, R. stonei from the Kenai Peninsula, 

 Alaska, and R. dawsoni from the Queen Charlotte 

 Islands. Taking the last-named first, it has been 

 pretty conclusively proved by Mr. Osgood that 

 no caribou are found on the Queen Charlotte 

 Islands, and none have ever been known to 

 live there in the memory of man. Its habitat 

 must therefore have been given erroneously, and 

 the specimen came undoubtedly from the main- 

 land and is not specifically distinct from R. mon- 

 tanus. R. stouei, from the Kenai Peninsula pos- 

 sesses no characters not found in R. montanus, 

 and cannot be separated from it. 1 This reduces 

 the western forms to one only, R. montanus, 

 claimed to be specifically separable from the 

 R. caribou of the East, the chief points of differ- 

 ence being its large size ; but the measurements 

 given — 46} inches at the withers, and 95 inches 



1 The question of species among caribou is one under very active dis- 

 cussion, and there appear to be no sufficient data at hand to warrant defi- 

 nite conclusions. Mr. A. J. Stone, who has had more practical experience 

 in the field among caribou than any of the present students of the animal, 

 has recently (March, 1902) returned from Alaska and British Columbia, 

 bringing specimens which tend to show a new mountain specimen from 

 that Mr. Thompson Seton described as the R. montanus. Mr. Stone also 

 brought out half a dozen specimens each of what he claims to be entirely 

 new species and that have been named respectively R. grand and R. os- 

 borni. In each case he has secured enough specimens of each to show a 

 consistent adherence to type. To be sure, all these are mere variations, — 

 in most cases but slight, — yet they appear to be distinct. The full story 

 of the caribou may not be written for a year or so yet. — Editor. 



