288 



IS^ATUEAL HISTORY COLLBCTIOl!rS IN ALASKA. 



from where he started the game, and takes position where he can command a broad piece of forest. 

 The Moose makes a wide circuit, and very frequently returns close by his enemy, and falls a victim 

 to this habit. Dressed moose-skins are used for making lodge-covers, clothing, and cords. 



The introduction of fire-arms among the natives has rapidly diminished this fine animal, and 

 its extinction in Alaska is but a matter of comparatively a few years. 



According to Petroff, the Moose crosses the Alaskan mountains and is found on the Pacific 

 slope about Kenai Peninsiila. 



Delphinaptertjs catodon (Linn.). White Whale (Esk. S^-td-uk). 



In one of the two skulls of young females obtained at Saint Michaels the primitive shape of 

 the teeth is well shown. The principal mass of the tooth consists of an irregular, compressed cyl- 

 inder of cement. From the top of the cylinder protrudes the tongue-shaped extremity of the small 

 rod of dentine which forms the core of the tooth. In the older specimen the dentine core is worn 

 down to level of the cement, the top of which is also worn away so that the whole tooth is conical. 



The proportions of the skull vary so much in the White Whale that comparisons of these young 

 specimens with others from the Iforth Atlantic are of no especial value in throwing light on the 

 question of the number of existing species of DelpMnaptems. 



List of specimens. 



Measurements. 



Total length (.greatest) 



I/engthof beak from base of maxillary notches 



Breadth of beak at base of notches 



Breadth of beak at its middle 



Breadth of intermaxillaries at same point 



Greatest breadth between outer margins of intermaxillary proximally 



Length of superior tooth-line 



Last tooth to base of maxillary notch 



Tip of beak to anteridr margin superior nasal opening 



Tip of beak to extremity of pterygoids 



Breadth between orbital processes of frontal 



Breadth between hinder margins of temporal fossEe 



Length of temporal fossa 



Depth of temporal fossa 



Total length of mandible 



Length of symphysis of mandible 



Length of tooth-row of mandible 



Depth between angle and coronoid process 



IsTumber of teeth 



Museum number, 

 22207; collector's 

 number, 268 ? . 



Millimeters. 

 465 

 219 

 149 



90 



52 

 102 

 173 



50 

 310 

 298 

 225 

 200 

 162 



67 

 345 



58 

 150 



88 

 10-10 

 10- 9 



Museum number, 

 22208; collector's 

 number, 269 ?. 



MiUimeterB. 

 427 

 187 

 137 



81 



45 

 106 

 152 



45 

 267 

 270 

 217 

 193 



61 

 315 



55 

 111 



86 

 8-8 

 7-7 



Biographical notes. — This species is the most abundant as well as one of the smallest cetaceans 

 found along the Alaskan coast north of the Aleutian Islands. From Bristol Bay north to Point 

 Barrow and thence east to the mouth of the Mackenzie Eiver it is a common summer resident. It 

 is particularly numerous about the mouths of rivers, and frequently ascends the larger streams far 

 above tide-water. The severe Arctic winters force them to become migratory over much of their 

 range. They move south in fall as the pack-ice comes down from the north in October, and winter 

 in large numbers on the coast of Bering Sea from Cape Vancouver south. They appear to have a 

 far greater liking for the mouths of the fresh-water streams and shallow coast, such as are found on 

 the American side of Bering Sea and the Arctic, than for the cold and deep water found ou the 

 Siberian shore. 



