MAMMALS OF NORTHEKIS^ CANADA 157 



Witli such a magnificent field for investigation as the 

 '' Anderson," as well as other interesting points throughout 

 the vast regions in which he was stationed as a post and dis- 

 trict manager for a period exceeding forty years (1852-1894), 

 the writer of these Notes has since deeply felt and regretted 

 that despite the many advantages pertaining to his position 

 as a Company's ofiicer, he has not (except at Fort Anderson) 

 done a quarter as much as a collector and observer as he 

 might and ought to have accomplished in ascertaining and 

 making known to naturalists the copious wealth of the 

 animal kingdom in the northern lands of his adopted 

 country. 



It may be here premised that this paper was largely pre- 

 pared for publication at Cumberland House, the headquar- 

 ters of Cumberland District, early in the winter of 1890-91, 

 but for various reasons it was not completed at that time, 

 while, unfortunately, several sheets thereof, together with 

 some relative memoranda, have since disappeared, and this 

 will explain the paucity of the remarks appearing under 

 certain species headings. Quite a large number of the speci- 

 mens of mammals which had been collected were lost or 

 much injured by neglect on the part of their Indian and 

 Eskimo collectors, or from various causes beyond careful 

 control. The nomenclature of the following list has been 

 carefully revised by the naturalists of the U. S. JSTational 

 Museum. 



UNGULATA. 



Moose — Alces americanus (Clinton). 



This valuable food animal used to be very numerous on 

 the Peace Kiver, and, indeed, throughout the forest region 

 of the northern portion of the " Great Mackenzie Basin" ; 

 but for the last twenty years it has been much less abundant, 

 and, indeed, remarkably scarce in many parts, especially 

 along the Athabasca, Peace, Liard, and other rivers, and the 



