1908.] MAMMALS. 17'.' 



Skull. — Only one skull of typical E. gapperi (from Emsdale, 

 Ontario) is available" for comparison. Compared with this the skulls 

 of E. (j. athabascce arc longer; with a less rounded braincase and 

 slightly larger bulla?, but of course it is inadvisable to attempt to for- 

 mulate cranial characters on such scanty material. For an opportu- 

 nity to compare this form with skins of typical /:'. gapperi, I am in- 

 debted to (ierrit S. Miller, jr.. who loaned me a series of Evotomys 

 collected at North Bay, Lake Nipissing, Ontario. They were taken in 

 August and are therefore in comparable pelage.- As would be ex- 

 pected from its more northern habitat, the fur of E. g. athabascce is 

 longer and fuller than that of E. gapperi. The skulls of the North 

 Bay series are unfortunately not available. 



We found this vole common throughout the region north to Great 

 Slave Lake and secured a very large series, comprising specimens 

 from points on the Athabaska 5 and .">() miles above A^thabaska Land- 

 ing; Calling River; Swift Current; 50 and loo miles above Pelican 

 Rapid; Pelican Rapid; Cascade Rapid; Mountain Rapid: Fori 

 Chipewyan; Slave River at the mouth of the Peace, and at our 

 camps 10 and 25 miles below that point; Smith Landing; Fort Smith; 

 and Fort Resolution. 



In 1901 we found the species very common at our various camps 

 near Fort Chipewyan and easily secured a large series. Here we 

 found the animals living mainly in the spruce woods growing in 

 valleys and ravines, though some were caught in swamps and in 

 mixed woods on higher ground. It seemed to be common also along 

 Slave River between Fort Chipewyan and Fort Smith, and a large 

 series was trapped at the latter place. The species was abundant in 

 a strip of mixed woods bordering a marsh half a mile south of the 

 post, and here most of our specimens were secured. In the hurried 

 work between Fort Smith and Fort Resolution, it was not taken. It 

 was fairly common in the vicinity of the latter post, however, where 

 Alfred E. Preble secured a good series of specimens, mainly on Mis 

 -ion Island, which is better adapted to its habits than the mainland 

 because the woods have not been so much devastated by culling and 

 by Hre. In the autumn of L903 the species was found to be abun- 

 dant at various points along the Athabaska by my brother and Cary. 

 and a large series in the normal phase was seemed. 



Ten adults of both sexes from Fort Chipewyan average: Total 

 length 145.6, tail vertebra? t0.6, hind foot 18; ten from Fori Smith 

 average: 1 12, 38, L8 ; ten from Fort Res.. hit ion. 1 12.7, 38.5, 19. 



The slaty or gray phase of color, hitherto unrecorded from this 

 region north of south-central Alberta, was taken at the following 

 localities: Slave River, 10 miles below mouth of Peace ( I) : 25 miles 

 below mouth of Peace ( 1) ; Smith Landing (1) ; and Fori Smith (6). 

 At these places this phase was represented by less than 10 percenl of 



