48 NOETH AMEKICAN FAUNA. [No. 22, 



is apparently found throughout the region as far north as York Fac- 

 tory, but is said to be more common to the southward. A hunters' 

 skin, taken near Oxford House in the spring of 1900, was obtained 

 from Mr. William Campbell, who reported the animal as not common 

 in the vicinity. At York Factory we obtained an immature specimen 

 and a hunters' skin, taken on Hayes River. Several skins from Trout 

 Lake, where the animals are said to be numerous, were also obtained. 



The skins secured, representing immature individuals and adults of 

 both sexes, vary but little in coloration. The prevailing color of the 

 upperparts is rufous, the subapical zone of black being restricted and 

 contributing little to the general color; the lower parts are rufous, 

 this color varying somewhat in intensity ; the tail is very dark brown 

 or black, the hairs tipped with rufous; the feet are nearlj- black. 



The onl}' skull available for comparison was taken at Oxford House 

 June 10, 1901. It is that of a female, and though the teeth are not 

 much worn, the development of the occipital crest and the general 

 appearance indicate maturitj^. It is much smaller than skulls of wood- 

 chucks of about the same age from Washington, D. C, and Maryland 

 (the tj'pe locality of moii(t,r)^ and shows other diilerences as follows: 

 Rostrum less deflected, the nasals flatter and more narrowed poste- 

 riorly; basal portion of zygomatic process of squamosal broader and 

 flatter, its posterior edge, when viewed from above, being practically 

 continuous with the general curve of the zygoma and lacking the con- 

 spicuous concavity usually seen in typical monax. The teeth are 

 proportionally weaker, the incisors especially being more slender. 

 This skull measures as follows: Occipito-nasal length SO; zygomatic 

 breadth 55; breadth of rostrum immediately in front of zygoma 15; 

 length of nasals 33; breadth of posterior end of nasals 7. 



Allen recorded specimens of Arctomys inona,!; from James Bay and 

 Nelson River. '^' 



Castor canadensis Kuhl. Canadian Beaver. 



Owing to persistent trapping, the beaver is becoming scarce through- 

 out the region, but skins are annually traded at all the posts visited. 

 We saw the remains of a beaver house between Pine and Windj- lakes 

 and a comparatively recent dam on a small stream which empties into 

 Hayes River about 15 miles above York Factory. 



A number of skins were seen at Fort Churchill. These had been 

 taken on the Lower Churchill River. Several black pelts were among 

 the furs at Norway House. 



A fine large ligamentary skeleton was obtained at York Factory 

 from Dr. Milne, who said that the animal it belonged to had been 

 taken in the vicinity. Its measurements (approximate) are as follows: 



fOIon. N. Am. Rod., p. 919, 1877. 



