204 OONSRiBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



Genus Sciuropterus. 



SciUROPTEBUS volvcfi.i A HUDSONIUS (Gmelin) Allen. Northern Flying SSqvirrel. 

 Not having seen an individual of this species in Alaska, and my information being only from 

 hearsay, yet sufficiently tmstwortby to believe, that a species of Flying Squirrel occurs in the 

 eastern part of Hie Nushagak and Cook's Inlet regions, I can but doubtfully refer it to this species 



Family CASTORID^. The Beavers. 

 Genus Castor. 

 Castor fiber (Linn6). Beaver. 

 The Beaver is generally distributed over all the mainland of Alaska, excepting the imme- 

 diate coast and the more mountainous portions from latitude sixty-seven to the extreme nortb- 

 t rn portion. 



The number of Beaver is said to be rapidly diminishing; not only by the persecution by man, 

 but from other causes not well understood. There being less demand than formerly may, per- 

 haps, allow this important, fur-bearing mammal to regain its wonted abundance. 



Family MURID^E. The Mice. 

 Genus Fiber. 

 Fiber zibithectjs (Liune) Cuvier. Muskrat. 

 This mammal has a range over all the region of the mainland south of latitude sixty-eight. It 

 is extraordinarily abundant in the marshy tracts of the mainland between latitude sixty-four and 

 fifty-nine, especially so between the Yukon and Nushagak rivers. Its habits are so well known 

 that they need not be repeated. 



Genus Ctjkiculus. 

 Cttniculus torqtjattjs (Pall.) Coues. White Lemming. 

 This Lemming occurs in the northern portions only, that I am aware of, from theshoresof the 

 Arctic Ocean to latitude sixty. 



It cannot be said to occur plentifully iu any particular portion of the region ; scattered individ- 

 uals were all that I ever saw ; and, as they are more readily perceived iu the late fall, when they 

 have assumed their silky coat of pure white fur, their habits could not be ascertained. 



"When iu this condition the Innuit give them the name Ki lug myu tub, or inhabitants of the 

 upper regions ; for those people stoutly maintain that these creatures drop from the sky during a 

 snowfall. 



Genus Myodes. 

 Myodes obensis Brandt. Tawny Lemming. 

 This species has a much greater range than the white species, occurring throughout the main- 

 land of northern North America. 



It is, according to my own experience, much more plentiful than the White Lemming. Its 

 habits were not well ascertained. This and the preceding species are the well-known "Deer- 

 footed Mice" of the traders in the northern regions; the delusion arising from the peculiar pro- 

 cesses appearing on the claws of the forefeet, and which are deciduous as soon as the snow melts 

 in the spring. 



Of the smaller Muridse the following genera and species are known to occur within the terri- 

 tory ; but as they are of no special importance merely a list of them will be given : 

 Synaptomys cooperi Baird. 

 Evotomys rutilus (Pall.) Coues. 

 Arvicola riparius borealis (Rich.) Coues. 

 Arvtcola xanthognathus Leach. 

 Hesperomys leucoptjs sonoriensis (Le Conte) Coues. 

 All of which occur on the mainland. 



