46 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



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MCILI.N FAINS NEAR KMIK RIVKR, ALASKA, WIll.RI'. lU'/S DALLI LA-Ml;^ WKRK CAI'lL'KEU. 



THE gUEST FOR OVIS DALLI 



11 Y I. ALDEN LORING. 



II.UISTRAIEI) KROM rilOTOGRAl'HS BY THE AUTIKIR. 



The New York Zoological Society has been fully aware of the fact that thus far the zoological -wealth of 

 Alaska and the Ca)iadian North-west has been but partially exploited. Not only is it reasonably certain that 

 ne-w forms a-wait the hand of the explorer, but it is unfortunately true that many itnpor taut forms of recent 

 discovery are, in the museums and zoological gardens of civilization, almost -wholly unrepresented by 

 specimens. The Society considers that the capture of living specimens of any particular species is only a 

 matter of -well-directed effort, and money --with -which to meet expenses. Believing that mountain sheep from 

 a lo-w altitude and a humid climate might endure the climate of A^e-w York better than specimens from the 

 Rocky Mountain region. Mr. Loring"-was sent to Alaska to capture a fe-w lambs, and also to establish 

 relations bet-ween the Society and -oarioiis persons in the field. — Editor. 



ON April 24th, 1 90 1, on its first trip of the 

 year, the S. S. Bertha reached the small 

 settlement of Tyonek, on the western shore of 

 Cook Inlet, and a little more than half way up. 

 The flat on which were situated the building of 

 the Alaska Commercial Company, and a dozen 

 Indian cabins was covered with snow four feet 

 deep, and the little conununity was yet on a 

 winter basis. Those who owned boats had 

 jnst begun to overhaul and repair them pre- 

 paratory to launching them, and it was a week 

 before a craft could be secured to carry me to 

 my hunting-grounds. During this enforced 

 interval I practised daily in walking on snow- 



shoes, taking long tramps in order to harden 

 my muscles. 



Mr. Thomas W. Hanmore, the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company's agent at Tyonek, was ex- 

 ceedingly kind and helpful to me — as he has 

 been to many others before me. I had the 

 good fortune to find at this place Mr. H. H. 

 Hicks, who had been strongly recommended to 

 me as a very intelligent, skillful and personally 

 agreeable guide. His services were secured, 

 and he proved to be an ideal man in every re- 

 spect — a skillful hunter, familiar with the 

 tongue of the natives, well acquainted with 

 the country, and at all times reliable. 



