198 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUXA. 



[xo. 27. 



sionally killed at Fort Simpson. In some sections of the Liard River 

 comitr}^ they are still rather common, and most of the quills used in 

 ornamental work in the Mackenzie region are brought from that 

 quarter. The porcupines of the Liard are said to be of the yellow- 

 haired form. 



Richardson stated that the porcupine occurred on the banks of the 

 Mackenzie as high as latitude GT°, his note probably referring to this 

 form.^ Ross included Liard River in its range ;^ while Allen referred 

 skulls from Peel River to E. ejnxantliumS 



WhilQ collecting in the Jasper House region in 1895 and 1896 J. 

 Alden Loring found this species rather common. In 1895 he took one 

 at Jasper House on September 11, and later in the autumn saw many 

 tracks and several of the animals in ' Rodent Valley ' about 25 miles 

 west of Henry House. In 1896 he saw one in the mountains 15 miles 

 south of Henry House in July, found the species common in the high 

 mountains in the early autumn, and saw one in slide rock in ^ Rodent 

 Valley ' in October. In an article published a few years later he 

 gives many notes on their habits as observed by him in this region.'^ 



Ochotona princeps (Richardson). Rocky Mountain Pika. 



This species was described by Richardson from specimens from the 

 Rocky Mountains,^ undoubtedly the ones taken by Drummond near 

 the sources of Elk (Athabaska) River. Richardson later mentions, 

 in addition to those taken by Drummond, several obtained by Mr. 

 MacPherson from the River of the Mountains (Liard ).^ B. R. Ross, 

 thirt}^ 3^ears later, listed the species as common among the mountain 

 ranges of Liard River.f' The limits of its range to the northward are 

 unknown. 



AYhile in the mountains of western Alberta, the locality of Drum- 

 mond's specimens, in 1895 and 1896^ J. Alden Loring found the 

 species common in the higher ranges, and secured a series of nearly 

 50 specimens. In 1895 he took a number at Henry House early in 

 September. In 1896 he found it common in the mountains 15 miles 



« Fauna Boreali-Americana, I, p. 214, 1829. 

 ^ Can. Nat. and GeoL, YII, p. 141, 1862. 

 c Monographs N. A. Rocleutia, p. 397, 1877. 



Forest and Stream, LII, p. 345, 1899. 

 ^Zool. Journ., Ill, p. 520, 1828. 



f Fauna Boreali-Americana, I, p. 227, 1829. Richardson's references to re- 

 ports and specimens from the ' River of the Mountains,' received from Murdoch 

 MacPherson, usually refer to Fort Nelson, on Fort Nelson River, the principal 

 southern tributary of the Liard. He sometimes refers specifically to the "east 

 l)ranch of the River of the Mountains." ("A collection of birds and quad- 

 rupeds, of much interest, made at Fort Nelson on the River of the Mountains, 

 a branch of the Mackenzie, was forwarded to us by Mr. MacPherson." F. B. A., I, 

 Introduction, p. xix, 1829.) 



^Cau. Nut. and Geol., YII, p, 141, 1862. 



