150 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Lepiis iiinericanus dalli? (Mcrriam). BALL'S VARY- 

 ING HARE? 

 While on snowshoe trips into the heavy timber north of Ty- 

 onek, during the latter part of April and first days of May, I 

 found varying- hares fairly abundant in certain localities. Al- 

 though there was four feet of snow on the ground, they were 

 changing their color, and many were very dark. In the timber 

 and on the brushy flats bordering the Knik River we found them 

 a1)undant. Neither the Indians nor my assistant had ever seen 

 hares so abundant elsewhere. 



Lynx canadensis iiiollipilosiis, (Stone). NORTH- 

 WESTERN LYNX. 

 Tracks were seen in the snow back of Tyonek, but I was told 

 there were few near the beach. We saw where they had been 

 hunting rabbits in the brush on the flats of the Knik River. 



Canis occidentalis, (Rich.). GRAY WOLF. 



None were seen, but their tracks were noted on the flats in the 

 river-bottom, where they had hunted rabbits, and on the snow 

 above timber-line, where no doubt they were in quest of sheep. 

 A large track that was favorably situated measured 5^ x 3^ 

 inches. 



Vnlpes kenaiensis, (Merriam). KENAI FOX. 



Two foxes — one red, the other silver gray — were held captives 

 by the trader at Knik. They had been captured in the Shushitna 

 River country. 



TJrsus aniericaniis, (Pallas). BLACK BEAR. 



Black Bears are abundant in the mountainous region bordering 

 Knik River. Although we did not attempt to hunt bears, we saw 

 fifteen during our stay. They fed above timber-line mostly, al- 

 though a few tracks were seen in the valley. At Ketchakan I 

 saw two cubs that had been captured in their den about March 

 15th. They weighed about eight pounds, claws light bone color, 

 and fur woolly. 



While it is rare for a bear to come into camp, there are records 

 of their occasionally having done so. It is said that near Hope 

 a miner once watched one rip his tent to pieces and destroy his 

 stores. 



