59 



4. Ganis lupus. Gray Wolf. The "Mountain Wolf" and 

 "Timber Wolf" of the hunters. Abundant in the timber. 



5. C'aiiis latraiis. Prairie Wolf. "Coyote." Abundant on 

 the plains and prairies. 



O. Vulpes vulgraris, var. fiilviis et macrourus. 

 Fox. Common. 



1. Flu stela martes. Marten. Not common. 



8. Putorius ermineus. Ermine Weasel. Abundant. 



9. Putorius lutreolus, var. vison. Mink. Common. 



10. <*ulo luscus. Wolverene. "Carcajou." Rather com- 

 mon, and reported to be qutte numerous at particular localities. 



11. Mephitis mephitica. Common Skunk. Abundant. 



12. Taxidea Americana. Badger. Common. 



The Fisher (Mustela Pennanti) does not appear to occur in this 

 immediate region. 



URSIDJE. 



13. Ursus arctOS, var. Bear. The black, brown and cinna- 

 mon varieties are all frequent. The hunters not only recognize them 

 as distinct and permanent varieties, but in addition to these, some of 

 the more observant of them distinguish subvarieties, based on the 

 shape of the head, the general form, size or color. Some of those with 

 whom I conversed made three varieties each of the brown and cin- 

 namon bears, as the "large," the "small," and the "real" brown or 

 cinnamon bear, respectively. The black form is represented as being 

 similarly variable in size. From the reports of hunters, there seem 

 to be endless varieties, especially in respect to size and color, with- 

 out a very sharp demarcation of either varieties or races. 



The Raccoon (Procyon lotor) was unknown to the hunters as an 

 inhabitant of this region. 



The Buffalo (Bison Americanus} existed here abundantly not many 

 years since, but is not now found south of the Black Hills, or nearer 

 than sixty to eighty miles. But their skulls and skeletons, partially 

 decomposed, are still common. 



14. Ovis iiioiitana. Rocky Mountain Sheep. "Big Horn." 

 Small herds are still more or less frequent in the mountains, but they 

 are materially decreasing in numbers every year. They now occur 

 only at distant" points and in the most inaccessible places, and the 

 professional hunters start in pursuit of them with far less confidence 



