REPORT ON A COLLECTION OF BIRDS AND 



MAMMALS FROM THE ATLIN REGION, 



NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA 



BT 



HARBY S. SWARTH 

 (Contribution from tlie Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California) 



CONTENTS p^oj, 



Introduction 51 



Itinerary and descriptions of localities 53 



Zonal and faunal position of the Atlin region 56 



Check list of the birds 59 



General accounts of the birds 61 



Check list of the mammals 145 



General accounts of the mammals 146 



Literature cited 152 



INTRODUCTION 



During the summer of 1924 the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 

 sent an expedition into the Atlin region, in extreme northwestern 

 British Columbia. The expenses of this expedition, as of all previous 

 zoological work carried on in the northwest by this Museum, were 

 defrayed by Miss Annie M. Alexander, whose interest in the Museum 's 

 work, and particularly in developing a knowledge of the vertebrate 

 natural history of the northwest, has been unflagging. Atlin was 

 chosen as a base largely on account of its geographical position with 

 relation to the valleys of the Stikine and Skeena rivers, to the south- 

 ward, which had been visited by Museum parties in previous years. 



The writer went alone from the Museum, that is, unaccompanied 

 by any Museum assistant, but he was fortunate in being joined at 

 the outset by Major Allan Brooks, of Okanagan Landing, British 

 Columbia. Major Brooks painted and collected specimens inde- 

 pendently, but the companionship proved mutually helpful in many 

 ways. Specimens collected by the writer consist of 387 birds, 76 

 mammals, 12 amphibians, 11 birds' nests, and 16 sets of birds' eggs. 

 Major Brooks' collection of birds was also at my disposal in writing 

 the report that follows. 



