1903.] Allen, Mammals from Northeast Siberia. H7 



Museum from Bering Island and Petropaulski, Kamchatka. 

 The latter measure slightly larger in total length (collector's 

 measurements from the fresh specimens), with shorter tail 

 and slightly smaller hind foot, but the discrepancy may be 

 due to different methods of measuring. 



Measurements. Ten adult males and ten adult females measure as 

 follows: Males: Total length, 128.8 (121-137) mm.; tail vertebras, 29.6 

 (26-34); hind foot, 18.8 (17-22). Females: Total length, 130.4 

 (120-136); tail vertebrae, 30.1 (26-32) ; hind foot, 18.3 (18-19). Eight 

 adult Bering Island and Petropaulski specimens (collected and meas- 

 ured by Dr. L. Stejneger) measure: Total length, 137 (134-143); tail 

 vertebrae, 27.5 (23-35); hind foot, 17 (16-17.5). 



The hairiness of the tail varies greatly with the season and 

 individually, in some specimens the tail being thinly haired 

 and lightly pencilled; in others, taken at nearly the same 

 time, the tail is very thickly haired and has a heavy pencil. 



Mr. Buxton apparently did not recognize that there were 

 two species of Red-backed Mice in his collection. His field 

 notes, covering both E. wosnessenskii and E. latastei, are 

 as follows: 



"Russian name, Mysh. This is undoubtedly the most 

 abundant mammal found in the territory I visited, although 

 the series in the collection is the result of one year's continu- 

 ous trapping for them. At Gichiga they are found every- 

 where on the tundra except in the more barren places where 

 nothing but moss and lichens grow. In places where there 

 is a growth of grass and flowers or low shrubs, and along 

 streams and in timbered places, they are most abundant. 

 They are also common about houses. When I took up quar- 

 ters in my cabin many were living there, which I soon 

 caught ; and at that time there were a great many open con- 

 tainers of hardbread, peas, beans, and cracked buckwheat. 

 Later in the year I found a number of collections of these things 

 about the house which they had made . In one old boot was more 

 than one quart of hardtack crumbs, buckwheat, rice, and peas. 

 At Kooshka there are three government storehouses standing 

 in a row. The two end ones are 100 yards apart. In one 

 end house are kept rice, flour, and buckwheat, and in the other 



