274 



NATUEAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



Mr. True notes that the Alaskan specimens are larger and paler than more soiitberu examples, 

 and a larger number of specimens may prove that the northern end of the Eocky Mountains affords 

 a geographical race of this animal nearly coincident in its range with the northern form of the 

 Mountain Sheep. 



Erethrizon dorsatus epixanthus (Brandt). Porcupine (Esk. I-lhan-Jco-cMIc'). 



List of specimens. 



Locality. 



Golovina Bay . 



cla....... 



TJualakleot-.- 

 Nulalo 



Tanaua Eiver. 



(lo- 



Mission. 



Date. 



November, 1877 

 do 



Au-^ust. 1877... 

 Mareb, 1878 ... 



Fall, 1880 



Remarks. 



Skin. 



Do. 



Do. 

 Foetal. 



Skin and skull. 



do Do. 



February, 1880 1 Skull. 



Biographical notes. — Throughout Alaska, wherever timber is found growing, this animal is 

 more or less common. They range to the extreme northern limit of the spruce forests in the 

 vicinity of the sixty-ninth degree of latitude, where thej' endure the most extreme cold, and feed 

 upon the bark and twigs of the cottonwoods, alders, and other deciduous trees and bushes. They 

 are very conunon along the LTpper Yukon, whence the fur traders brought me a number of skius 

 and skulls. They are nearly as common, however, throughout the entire wooded interior. At the 

 head of Norton Sound, where the spruce forest reaches the shore of Bering Sea, they are com- 

 mon, and they arc found occasionally in alder patches along the eutire Alaskan coast of this sea. 

 They are found at times close to the Arctic coast, about the shores of Kotzebue Sound, and are 

 numerous on the coast of Southeastern Alaska, bordering the Pacific. In winter they are usually 

 discovered in the tree-tops, sometimes in a spruce, but usually in a cotton wood or birch. 



Although I have traveled many days in succession, in winter, through districts where the 

 porcupines were known to be common I did not see one alive, nor did I see any tracks which 

 could be referred with certainty to them. From this negative evidence I came to the con- 

 clusion that they must be very quiet at this season. 



The Indians and Eskimo are very fond of its flesh, and, with the exception of the wolverine, 

 are its only enemies. Wheu the former cajjture one they singe it thoroughly over the tire and so 

 dispose of the spines, thus rendering the removal of the skin an easy matter. 



Mtjs decumanhs Pallas. Common Eat. 



Biographical notes. — The House Eat is less numerous and not so widely spread in the Terri- 

 tory as is the common mouse. They are unknown north of the Aleutian Islands, and only occur 

 there at Unalaska, where they sometimes get ashore from ships. These stragglers are soon 

 disposed of by means of trap or gun, so that none are resident there. In Southeastern Alaska 

 they have become resident iu considerable numbers at Kadiak and Sitka and probably at other 

 more recent towns in that part of the Territory. 



Mus MUSCULtJS Linn. Common Mouse. 



Biographical notes. — This well-known species has been imported into the Territory, and is 

 common at Sitka, Kadiak, Unalaska, and the Fur Seal Islands. They are unknown at Saint 

 Michaels aud along the Yukon ainl other interior points, where their places are filled by the 

 native species. They are more or less common in all of the towns occupied by white men iu the 

 southeastern part of the Territory. 



