146 University of California. Publications vn Zoology [Vol. 30 



GENERAL ACCOUNTS OF THE MAMMALS 



The collection of mammals was inadequate and disappointing. 

 I had not as much time to give to this work as would have been desir- 

 able, but, nevertheless, assiduous trapping in a variety of surroundings 

 was so uniformly unsuccessful that failure could hardly have been due 

 to any cause other than the actual scarcity of most of the smaller 

 mammals. As an instance in point, trapping was carried on for a week 

 at a place where lemmings were known to have been abundant at the 

 same season in previous years, but not one was caught. At several 

 places extensive systems of runways were trapped over for days and 

 weeks with but an occasional mouse as a result. Another year might 

 find small rodents swarming over the same region. 



It was a question just what might be included in the following list ; 

 as it stands it comprises the species that were personally encount- 

 ered and specifically identified. Bats were seen on several occasions 

 but not collected. Atlin is in the center of a region that supports a 

 large amount of big game (sheep, caxibou, mountain goat, and bear) 

 of species that I either did not encounter at all or so casually as not to 

 be worth reporting. Similarly, there are fur bearers throughout the 

 region regarding which I learned nothing. I saw skins of flying 

 squirrels killed near Atlin, and there are doubtless yet other species 

 still to be included in any comprehensive account of the mammals of 

 this section. 



Sorex personatus personatus I. Geoffrey. Masked Shrew 

 Five specimens collected (nos. 34389-34393), one from Surprise 

 Lake (3200 feet altitude), three from the head of Otter Creek (4000 

 feet altitude), and one from Atlin. 



Sorex obscurus obscurus Merriam. Dusky Shrew 

 Two specimens collected (nos. 34394-34395), from near the summit 

 of Spruce Mountain (4500 feet altitude), on August 1. 



Neosorex navigator navigator Baird. "Water Shrew 

 A water shrew, presumably of this form, was seen at the head of 

 Otter Creek (4000 feet altitude), July 30. It was at mid-day, and the 

 little animal was ascending a small stream, sometimes swimming in 

 the pools, then running through the shallows. It dived when it saw 

 me and did not appear again. 



