1912] Stvarth: Birds and Mammals from Vancouver Island 5 



ALBERNI 



On the west side of the island, at the head of Alberni Canal. 

 We did no collecting in the immediate vicinity of the town, but 

 used it as a base for the greater part of the summer. Our first 

 camp in this region was at Beaver Creek, fifteen miles north- 

 west of Alberni, and not to be confused with the harbor of the 

 same name near Parksville, on the east coast, which we also 

 visited. It is a common name in the northwest. This is a broad, 

 level valley, containing one large stream and innumerable small 

 ones, draining into the head of Alberni Canal. It is heavily 

 timbered, mostly with Douglas fir and cedar, both of which 

 attain a great size, while the creek beds and swamps are thickly 

 grown up with willow and alder, with a dense undergrowth of 

 devil's club, skunk cabbage, and other vegetation, and with 

 many thickets of salmon-berry. A large part of the region has 

 been burned over in years past, and there are innumerable tall, 

 dead stumps standing everywhere, while the ground is strewn 

 with logs and fallen trees. 



In the immediate vicinity of Alberni much land has been 

 cleared, and throughout the valley, between the town and our 

 camp, there were cleared tracts, at gradually lengthening inter- 

 vals, as the town was left behind. Many of these were deserted 

 and the fields choked with rank second growth. Near the camp 

 there were some extensive grassy meadows, intersected by 

 numerous small streams, and on all sides there were many 

 swamps, mostly caused by beaver dams. 



About two miles to the east a low range of timbered hills 

 arose somewhat abruptly. Above camp the valley rapidly nar- 

 rowed, the ground became rocky and broken, with a rather steep 

 ascent, and the road, terminating where we were camped, 

 changed to a poorly defined trail winding through the hills. The 

 forest became uniformly dense and animal life was consequently 

 much less abundant and varied than in the more open country 

 below. 



In the town of Alberni, and in the immediate vicinity, birds 

 were numerous, and of many species. The open fields and 

 meadows, the partly cleared woods nearby, and the maples along 



