1908.] MAMMALS. 191 



frequents moist meadows amongst the mountains, and swims and 

 dives well, taking at once to the water when pursued."" 



DeKay, perceiving the animal to be different from " ripariusf 

 redescribed it under the name A. richardsoni. 1 



Eight specimens taken by J. Alden Loring at points 10 and 25 

 miles west of Henry House, in October, 1896, have been recorded by 

 Bailey. They were found inhabiting wet sphagnum swamps and 

 ■were trapped with difficulty. None of the specimens were fully adult, 

 but the largest one, a nearly full-grown female, measured : Total length 

 208, tail vertebrae 61, hind foot 28. These records from the Jasper 

 House region furnish all we know regarding its distribution within 

 the area now under review. 



Microtus (Pedomys) minor (Merriam). Least Upland Vole. 



Two specimens, taken by J. Alden Loring at Edmonton, in Sep- 

 tember, 1894, as well as one from Red Deer. Alberta, have been re- 

 corded by Bailey.'' The Edmonton specimens were taken beneath 

 oat shocks in a dvy upland field, where the animals were found 

 occupying the same locations as M. drummondi, but were much 

 less common than that species. 



Fiber zibethicus spatulatus Osgood. Northwest Muskrat. 



In the spring of 1901 we found muskrats rather uncommon along 

 the Athabaska above Fort McMiftray, but observed a number on the 

 lower part of the river May 17. The species was very common in 

 the delta of the Athabaska and Peace, and among the hills near Fort 

 ( nipewvan we found it inhabiting the muskeg ponds as well as the 

 small streams which formed their outlets. We often observed the 

 animals along Rocher River, and near the mouth of Peace River 

 found them frequenting the small landlocked ponds in dense spruce 

 woods, where their well-worn trails between the ponds were very 

 conspicuous in the deep mossy carpet which covered the ground. At 

 Fort Smith they were common in the marshes to the south of the post, 

 and on the lower part of Skive River and in its delta they were very 

 abundant. While crossing Great Slave Lake to Fort Rae I found 

 them inhabiting the islands and shore of the Northern Arm wherever 

 marshy inlets occurred, Trout Rock. 25 miles south of Fort Rae. evi- 

 dently being a favorite locality. In the immediate vicinity of Fort 

 Rae, though the conditions were favorable, I found the animals very 

 rare, doubtless owing to the presence <>(' a large band of [ndians then 

 congregated about the post. < >n our return trip the species was sev- 



Fauna Boreali-Americana, I. p. 120, 1829. 

 ''Z.m.i. New York. Pari I. Mammalia, [>. 91, 1842. 

 •■ N. a. Fauna, No. 17. p. 60, 1900. 

 *N. A. Fauna, No. IT. p. 76, 1900. 



