1908.] 



MAMMALS. 



155 



Anderson Eskimo and from post Indians who specially bunt them), Rae and 

 Resolution, on Great Slave Lake (from Indian hunters), Lac du Brochet, Rein- 

 deer Lake (from the inland Eskimo), and Fort Churchill (from the Hudson 

 Bay Eskimo ).« 



In notes sent to the Smithsonian many years ago he states that a 

 miisk-ox calf captured on the Barren Grounds east of Fort Anderson 

 in the summer of 1864 bellowed like a domestic calf, but Avith a 

 stronger voice, and that in attacking its captors it backed off and 

 butted like a ram. 



I was informed by John Firth, for many years stationed at Fort 

 ^IcPherson. that some thirty years ago many skins were brought in 

 to that post by both Indians and Eskimo, who obtained them to the 

 eastward of the Mackenzie. A few from the Anderson Eiver region 

 are still traded at Fort Good Hope, and Fort Xorman usually receives 

 a few from Great Bear Lake. During the past few^ years many 

 hiutdreds have been brought in to Fort Rae and Fort Eesolution, 

 Great Slave Lake. The large number collected, combined w^ith the 

 fact that most of the animals are killed in the spring, when the robes 

 are in poor condition, have conspired to overstock the market. As a 

 result, the Dogribs and Yellowknives were instructed to refrain from 

 hunting them during the Avinter of 1903— 1-, and practically none were 

 killed. Happily tlie range of this animal lies in a region Avhich is 

 ver}' sparsely inluibited and not easily accessible, and there seems to 

 be little danger that the species Avill be sensibly reduced in numbers 

 for many years. 



Ovis canadensis Shaw. Mountain Slieep. 



Occurs in the mountains in western Alberta and for an undeter- 

 mined distance northAvard. In the early autimin of 1895 J. Alden 

 Ijoring met Avith the species in the Jasper House region, and in the 

 summer of ls9G, on his second trip to the same region, he again found 

 it common in the higher mountains as far we>t as Henry House. The 

 Indians claimed that the animal Avas not found AAest of this point, 

 and this accorded AA'ith his experience. The species Avas particularly 

 common at his camp 15 miles south of Henry House. It Avas noted 

 also in Smoky Valley. 50 miles north of Jasper House, and at the 

 head of Grand Cache River, a feAv miles to the nortliAvard, and Avas 

 said to occur in the higher mountains all along the route betAveen 

 Jasper House and Smoky RiA'er. 



At his camp soutli of Henry House, where he had the best oppor- 

 tunity to study their habits, the animals frequented the higher craggy 

 mountains with grassy slopes, descending to the salt licks, usually the 

 cut banks of small streams, daily during the summer and less regu- 

 larly in the autumn. They were stupidly tame, did not readily scent 

 an enemy, and on being approached retreated leisurely and with 



« Proc. r. S. Nat. Mus., XXYIII, pp. 686-689, 1C05. 



