186 



XOETH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[no. 27 



horealis^ in this respect also resembling daJli. Six adults of both 

 sexes from the two localities represented average : Total length 128.3, 

 tail vertebrse 21.6, hind foot 18.5. 



In the autumn of 1903 Alfred E. Preble and Merritt Gary took a 

 series of Synaj^toinys on the Athabaska 50 miles above Pelican Rapid, 

 at Swift Current, and at points o and 30 miles above Athabaska 

 Landing, Alberta. In color these specimens resemble S. dalli closely 

 and are here provisionalh^ referred to that form, but apparently they 

 are somewhat intermediate between Ijorealis and dalli The series is 

 largely composed of immature examples. Five of the largest average 

 in measurements: Total length 123. tail vertebrae 21.9, hind foot 17.6. 



Microtus (Microtus) drummondi (And. and Bach.). Drummond Vole. 



This is the most abundant small rodent, occurring commonly from 

 the plains of Saskatchewan and Alberta north to the limit of trees. 

 Even north of the area of extensive agriculture it does considerable 

 damage about the trading posts, where it enters the buildings freely. 



In the spring of 1901 we saw fresh traces of this vole along our 

 route between Edmonton and Athabaska Landing, and here and there 

 as we descended the Athabaska to Fort Chipewyan, but the animals 

 were not common. We first secured the species at Fort Chipewyan, 

 but obtained only a small series, though we trapped carefully for the 

 animals^ The species was rare at our camp on Slave Eiver. 10 miles 

 below the mouth of the Peace, there being little ground in the vicinity 

 suitable for it. Near our next camj). 15 miles below this point, a 

 colony was found in a marsh on the borders of a small pond a short 

 distance back from the bank of Slave River. Here we easily secured 

 a large series, and at Smith Landing and Fort Smith we found the 

 species equally common. At the latter locality we found it occtij^ying 

 the haunts of Mk-rutus .X'aitfhogiiathu.s, and using to some extent its 

 runways. As we did little trapping between this point and Fort 

 Resolution the species was not detected, although it undoubtedly 

 occurs. It was only fairly common at Fort Resolution, and by careful 

 trapping a small series was taken in the clearing about the post. I 

 took a large series at Fort Rae, mainly near the post, although a few 

 were found about some small ponds among the hills to the eastward. 



During our trip northward to Great Slave Lake in the spring of 

 1903 we obtained little additional information respecting this species. 

 While on their trip to the upper Mackenzie my brother and Gary 

 took specimens at Hay River and Fort Providence. On their out- 

 ward trip they found it very abundant along the Athabaska, and 

 after each rise of the river noted numbers that had been drowued. 

 They took specimens along the Athabaska at Cascade, Stony, Brule, 

 and Pelican rapids; 50 miles above Pelican Rapid; Swift Current; 



