24 University of California Publications in Zoologi/. [Vol. 7 



of it, where I did most of my collecting, the mountain slopes 

 are bare of such woods. At the water's edge are many acres of 

 tall grass, waist high or higher, flooded at high tide, and at this 

 time the haunt of numerous mallards. The center of the valley 

 is occupied by a dense willow swamp, (piite impenetrable, and 

 traversed by many rushing streams. On either side, and broad- 

 ening in extent as the mountain is ascended, are wide stretches 

 of open country, apparently smooth and level, as viewed from the 

 distance, but in reality a mass of jumbled l)oulders, covered with 

 moss and hidden by tangles of vines and ferns. Some of the 

 slopes and ridges are densely grown up with brush (Clado- 

 thamnus pyrolaeflorus) and here and there is an occasional 

 scrubby spruce tree. Higher up, the mountains rise steep and 

 precipitous, and at the foot of the cliffs were deep snow banks. 

 In the bay where our camp was located the forest comes down 

 to the water's edge, but this timbered area is comparatively 

 narrow. We were at Port Snettisham from August 2-i to 



September 2. 



TAKU RIVER. 



A deep and broad stream emptying into Taku Inlet, which in 

 turn opens into Stephens Passage at a point some ten miles 

 south of Juneau. We ascended the river about twenty miles, 

 pitching camp on the south side of the stream. This river 

 forms a direct pass from the interior of the country, and is used 

 as such by both prospectors and Indians. Birds and mammals 

 of the interior also reach the coast by this means, and for this 

 reason we found it an interesting point to w^ork. We found 

 such inland species as Zapus saltator and Microtus drutntnondi 

 among the mammals, and Geothlypis trichas occidentalism Den- 

 droica striata and Sialia currucoides among the birds. Hassel- 

 borg saw fresh tracks of a moose {Alces a. gigas) which had come 

 down to the bank of the river opposite the launch during the 

 night, this being probably as near the coast as the species is 

 known to occur. He also heard a ruffed grouse {Bo)iasa u. innhel- 

 loides?) drumming several times. There was abundant sign 

 of willow ptarmigan {Lagopiis lagopus?) in the thickets, 

 feathers and droppings, but it was imjjossible to ^lenctrate the 



