242 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



many references to ' seals ' are found in the narratives of various ex- 

 peditions, the particular species is seldom indicated. 



Phoca hispida Schreber. Rough Seal. 



Referring to this species Richardson says : " They form * * * 

 the chief dependence of the Esquimaux that frequent the mouth of 

 the Coppermine River in the months of March, April, May, and 

 June." ^ J. C. Ross reports this species from Port Bowen ; ^ and as 

 occurring on both sides of the Isthmus of Boothia.^ The common 

 seal mentioned by Hanbury as observed on Melville Sound, Arctic 

 coast, early in June, 1902, is probably referable to this species.'' 



I saw a number of skins at the Hudson's Bay posts at Arctic Red 

 River and Fort McPherson in the summer of 1904. These had been 

 traded by the Eskimo who frequent the mouth of the Mackenzie. In 

 notes sent to the Smithsonian MacFarlane records a seal which was 

 shot on Franklin Bay. It was called by the Eskimo ' natshuk,' which 

 identifies it as this species. 



Phoca groenlandica Fabr. Harp Seal. 



J. C. Ross states that skins of this seal were obtained from the 

 natives of the west side of the Isthmus of Boothia.^ Sutherland states 

 that the ' ocean, or Greenland, seal ' was common in August, 1850, 

 in the southern part of Wellington Channel.^ 



Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben). Bearded Seal. 



Sutherland states that the bearded seal was common in August, 

 1850, in the southern part of Wellington Channel.^ M'Clintock 

 records it from Port Kennedy, where it was observed during the 

 voyage of the FoxP 



Hanbury records the ' ugyuk ' (the Eskimo name for this species), 

 as rather common early in June, 1902, on Melville Sound.'^ It proba- 

 bly occurs all along the Arctic coastline from Hudson Bay to that 

 vicinity, and perhaps farther west. 



Sorex personatus I. Geoffroy. Common Eastern Shrew. 



This common species is quite generally distributed throughout 

 the region north to the Arctic Sea. During our various trips we 

 secured a series of over a hundred specimens, from the following 

 localities: Thirty miles above Athabaska Landing; Athabaska Land- 



« Appendix to Parry's Second Voyage, p. 334, 1825 (1827). 



^ Parry's Third Voyage, Appendix, p. 94, 1826. 



^ Appendix to Ross's Second Voyage, p. xix, 1835. 



<^ Sport and Travel in Northland of Canada, p. 159, 1904. 



^ Appendix to Ross's Second Voyage, p. xxi, 1835. 



^ Journ. Voyage to Baffin Bay, I, p. 293, 1852. 



Voyage of the Fox, p. 168, 1860. 

 ^ Sport and Travel in Northland of Canada, p. 161, 1904. 



