40 
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 
Sciurus gerrardi inconstans nom. nov. — This name is proposed as a substitute 
for Sciurus versicolor Thomas 1900 (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., (7), vol. 6, p. 385, 
Oct. 1900) which is preoccupied by Sciurus versicolor Zimmermann 1777 (Spec, 
Zool. Geogr., p. 520, 1777). 
Mystax ursulus Hoffmannsegg. — Although usually quoted from Humboldt 
or Geoffroy 1812, the name Ursula for the black tamarin marmoset appears to 
have been used first by Hoffmannsegg in 1807. The citation is as follows : Saguinus 
Ursula Hoffmannsegg, Mag. Gesellsch. Naturforsch. Freunde, Berlin, vol. 1, 
2tes Quart., p. 101-104, Apr.-June 1807. 
Cebus nigritus Goldfuss. — Buffon’s Sajou negre (Hist. Nat. Suppl., vol. 7, p. 
109, pi. 28, 1789) was given the technical name Cercopithecus nigritus by Goldfuss 
in 1809 (Vergleichende Naturbeschreibung d. Saugeth., vol. 1, p. 74, 1809). Hence 
the current name Cebus cirrifera Humboldt 1812 should be supplanted by Cebus 
nigritus Goldfuss 1809. — Wilfred H. Osgood, Field Museum of Natural History, 
Chicago, III. 
NOTES ON THE MAMMALS OF THE LOWER YUKON REGION 
The following notes refer in general to the region roughly bounded by the 
Yukon River from Holy Cross to Russian Mission, and by the Kuskokwim from 
McGrath to Bethel, 500 miles by river. They relate unless otherwise indicated 
to the year 1919. This region has periods when wild life is abundant. These 
are followed by periods of scarcity. This applies to our resident game birds as 
much as to mammals. For some years there has been a very notable scarcity of 
small mammals generally in this section. A marked increase is noticeable in 
the various species this winter (January, 1920) and we may look forward with 
confidence to a rapid increase during the next few years. 
To be more particular, I will say the Canada lynx, common generally over 
this range in 1915 and 1916, disappeared almost entirely. The brush rabbit or 
varying hare is another striking example of a species which becomes excessively 
abundant and then disappears suddenly almost to the last one. In 1914, I often 
walked along the river bank near McGrath Postoffice with a gun and killed twenty 
or more of these hares, hanging them in bushes and leaving them for a native to 
pick up with a boat, as the load was often too much to carry. During the years 
1915 to 1918, I do not remember to have seen one of these rabbits. The foxes 
also were very scarce and the few that remained seemed hungry and were not 
fat. Foxes in this locality get quite fat when food is plentiful, but the various 
species of mice also were gone, as were our resident game birds. But now we see 
a few lynxes returning, there are also more foxes, and rabbits are common, but 
not abundant, in a few localities, and there is an abundance of mice. If local 
conditions are a guide, then Alaska should receive more money for its furs this 
season than ever before in its history; and this notwithstanding the fact that 
two important furs, marten and beaver, are protected by law. The catch of mink 
this season has been large and the price very high. 
Weasels also are plentiful; probably more have been taken in the Lower Yukon 
region than ever before. Muskrats, that were not generally considered worth 
shipping fifteen years ago, are now one of the most important furs of the terri- 
tory. I have no statistics, but muskrat may now be our leading fur. The regu- 
