230 NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



Tjnalga Island was also stocked with silver foxes, but tbey have been loug since exterminated. One difi'erence 

 between the silver and blue foxes of the mainland and the islands is that the under fur of the island foxes is not so 

 thickly covered with the longer hairs as in individuals inhabiting the mainland. This is also true of the other foxes, 

 but is not so noticeable. Again, the pelts of all foxes, except the blue ones, are generally i)aler on the islands than 

 -on the niainlaud. The blue foxes are generally better (i. e., darker) here than on the uiaiuland. The best blue foxes 

 come from Saint Paul and Saint George. 



The foxes of Umnak, Unalaska, Akntan, Akuu, Unimak, and the Shnmagiu Islands are indigenous. The Kadiak 

 furs are about the same as those obtained from the timbered districts of the Yukon. Sea otters have decreased all 

 along the coast from Japan to Sitka. The western part of the Alaskan Islands is nearly deserted by them, their 

 movement having been to the eastward. 



For repeated kindly aid during my residence in the north, I am under obligations to every one 

 of the fur traders and agents of the Alaska Commercial Company with whom I came in contact, 

 and to my associates at Saint Michaels, Messrs. Rudolph and Henry Neumann and M. Loreuz, is 

 due much of the success which attended my work. 



I can never forget the cordial interest with which the.se gentlemen were ever ready to forward 

 my plans, even at considerable personal inconvenience to themselves. 



To Mr. L. N. McQuesteu I am under obligations for many specimens from the LTpper Yukon, 

 including the types of Ovis Dalli. 



To General "W. B. Hazen and Prof. S. F. Baird I owe the encouragement and support which 

 enabled me to conduct the work in the field and prepare the results for the press. 



Owing to my unavoidable absence from Washington. I have been obliged to secure the co- 

 operation of Mr. F. W. True in the preparation of this reiiort. 



Mr. True has kindly made a tabular arrangement of most of the specimens secured by me, and 

 in many instances has given measurements and comments upon the species of particular interest. 

 The subjoined introductory remarks and lists of species are also his. The biographical notes are 

 entirely my own. 



E. W. NELSON. 



Speingerville, Ariz., Noveniber 25, 1886. 



