MAMMALS OF NOETHERK CANADA 261 



was premier, with 18,904 pounds, but in consequence of 

 increasing competition in the north the annual average of the 

 former for 1SS6, 1887, and 1889, is only 54 pounds, as 

 against 329 for the period ending in 1884. The trade of the 

 latter for the five years (1885 to 1889) gives an average of 

 but 211 pounds as against TOO pounds for 1858 to 1884. Its 

 former posts on Upper Peace Eiver had not one-fourth as 

 much castorum in 1889 as in other years. English River 

 District gave 40 pounds for each of the outfits of 1889 and 

 1890; Cumberland District only 26 pounds in 1888, and 56 

 pounds in 1889 ; and then we have ISTew Caledonia, British 

 Columbia, with 113 pounds for each of 1885 and 1886, and 

 390 pounds in 1887, 390 pounds in 1888, 402 pounds in 

 1889, and 231 pounds in 1890 ; all of these results are very 

 much below those realized previous to the advent of (the 

 frequently vaunted) " free trade." 



J^OETHEEN Pocket Gophee — Thomomys talpoides 

 (Richardson). 



iRever having seen an example of this species, I know 

 nothing about it ; but from what Mr. Moberly states it prob- 

 ably inhabits the banks of the Worth Saskatchewan in the 

 immediate vicinity of the Rocky Mountains. He further 

 adds that there is an allied but somewhat larger gopher on 

 the west side, from the Kootenay to the Eraser River. It 

 is about two inches longer than T. talpoides and has very short 

 ears, with more brown about the body. Both kinds are good 

 eating, and they also form an important item in the diet of 

 the grizzly bear. 



JSToETHEEN Elying-squieeel — Sciuropterus sabrinus 

 (Shaw). 



Having lost some of my original field-notes and several 

 Smithsonian receipt lists, I cannot feel quite sure of a few 

 stated entries and references in this paper. I have, however. 



