ACKNOWLEDGMENTS VII 



Robert Rausch first went with one of our expeditions from Point 

 Barrow to Tuluak in 1948. He has since then intensively studied the 

 mammals and parasites of the Anaktuvuk region (Rausch, 1951, 1953) 

 and he has generously given me many keen observations and numerous 

 specimens of birds. Neal Weber joined one of our expeditions to 

 Anaktuvuk in 1948, and he has subsequently made important con- 

 tributions to our knowledge of arctic insects (1948, 1949, 1950). 



Carl Henkelman also accompanied one of our expeditions in 1948, 

 in order to make a survey of the dentition of the mountain Eskimo, 

 finding dental conditions excellent among these people subsisting al- 

 most exclusively on meat. Vladimir Walters in 1949, studied the fishes 

 in the region of Tuluak Lake (Walters, 1955 ) . 



Lloyd Spetzman in 1949 made collections of the flowering plants 

 at Anaktuvuk Pass, and George A. Llano, a former colleague in nu- 

 merous undertakings, in the summer of 1949 collected lichens (Llano, 

 1950 ) . Attracted by accounts of the mountain people, my son William 

 Irving accompanied me in 1950 and 1951 in the Anaktuvuk and Kil- 

 lik Valleys to examine the people anthropologically, and has found 

 many artifacts of flint and bone in sites occupied by the former human 

 inhabitants of the mountains (William Irving, 1951, 1953) . 



It is with great pleasure that I acknowledge the helpful and pleas- 

 ant association with these good colleagues in an area where our com- 

 mon interests in natural history could be well rewarded. Our sep- 

 arate observations have built up a good view of the background of 

 life in the arctic mountain valleys, and have affirmed the early pre- 

 dictions of Tom Brower and Sig Wien as to the strategic importance 

 of the locality for the advancement of biological knowledge in arctic 

 Alaska. 



I am sure that I express the views of all these scientific visitors in 

 acknowledging with gratitude the hospitality and assistance of the 

 mountain Eskimos. Without their help, existence for us would have 

 been too difficult to permit methodical scientific investigation ; thanks 

 to their careful observations, accurate knowledge of country, and 

 ability to travel, our studies proceeded rapidly. In these people, who 

 live in primitive fashion, I have found a proud regard for accurate 

 and penetrating observation. In their complete knowledge of their 

 country they find the basis for a philosophical appreciation of nature 

 which has added admiration to my feeling of grateful friendship. 



From Alexander Wetmore, I have had kind assistance in naming 

 several forms of birds, along with a continuing personal interest which 

 I gratefully acknowledge. Remington Kellogg, who has always been 

 a stimulating friend to field research, has cordially facilitated my 

 working at the U. S. National Museum. Herbert Friedmann has 

 given me much critical help and encouragement particularly in prob- 



