1908.] 



MAMMALS. 



229 



throughout the wooded country." Russell recorded it from Fort Rae, 

 and was told that the animal was comparatively common near Fort 

 Xelson, on a southern tributary of the Liard.^ MacFarlane records 

 an otter seen on Lockhart River in the summer of 1857.^ In a later 

 paper he states that the animal was not common on the lower Ander- 

 son, and that the 3^oung number from three to five.^ 



Taxidea taxus (Schreber). Badger. 



Concerning this species Richardson says : " The M eles Lahradoria 

 frequents the sandy plains or prairies which skirt the Rocky Moun- 

 tains as far north as the banks of the Peace River, and sources of 

 the River of the Mountains, in latitude 58°."^ Thomas Simpson, on 

 January 28, 1837, saw a recently killed specimen in the possession 

 of an Indian on the Athabaska below the mouth of the Clearwater.^ 

 I find no late records of its occurrence north of the Saskatchewan 

 region, but as the animal is rapidly being extirpated throughout its 

 range, it is not unlikely that it formerly extended farther north. 

 MacFarlane states that in 1889 Isle a la Crosse and Green Lake each 

 traded one badger skin.^^ 



Lutreola vison energumenos (Bangs). Western Mink. 



The mink is rather common throughout the wooded portion of 

 the region now under review. During the season of 1901 we fre- 

 quently saw tracks along the muddy margins of the rivers, but 

 failed to see any of the animals. Skulls were obtained at the fol- 

 li)wing localities: Athabaska River (near Brule and Boiler rapids) ; 

 Slave River (at points 10 and 15 miles below Peace River, and 30 

 and 100 miles below Fort Smith) ; Fort Resolution; and Fort Rae. 



During our trip northward to Great Slave Lake in 1903 we made 

 few observations on this species, though we obtained a few skulls 

 at trappers' cabins along the route, and occasionally noted tracks 

 on the river banks. In the region between Fort Rae and Great Bear 

 Lake I found the mink rather common. Along the lower part of 

 the rapid stream which we descended to MacTavish Bay it was 

 especially abundant, and a number were observed and two adult 

 males secured. One of these I trapped in an unusual manner. While 

 making a portage to avoid a rapid I caught several large lake trout 

 in the eddy at its foot. These I tossed among the bowlders on the 

 shore as fast as I secured them. On gathering the fish I missed one, 



'^Ann. Kept Can. Geol. Surv., IX (new ser.), p. 166F, 1898. 



^ Expl. in Far North, p. 239, 1898. 



^ Canadian Record of Science, IV, p. .32, 1890. 



^ Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXVIII, p. 716, 1905. 



^ Fauna Boreali-Americana, I, p. 38, 1829. 



^ Narrative Discoveries on North Coast of America, p. 64, 1843. 

 9 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXVIII, p. 715, 1905. 



