20 
BRITISH COLUMBIA 
In order to add to the mammal collections of the National Museum 
and begin a biological survey of a region that has not been thoroughly 
worked heretofore, a field party was sent to the southern part of British 
Columbia near the International Boundary. A number of species of 
mammals are found there which were not well represented in our collections, 
if represented at all. It is also known that a number of species reach the 
northern limit of their habitat near this line and chances are good that 
intensive field work would reveal the presence of species heretofore not 
known to occur in Canada. The southern part of British Columbia 
being much cut up by alternating mountains and valleys, showing different 
climatic conditions due to humidity and altitude, it is desirable that in- 
formation be obtained in regard to the local faunas. As a number of 
species and subspecies have been described from this part of the country, 
which are not represented in Canadian collections, it is also desirable 
that topotypes, or specimens from districts near to type localities, be ob- 
tained wherever possible. Mr. Charles H. Young, collector-preparator 
specialist, with Mr. Hamilton M. Laing, of Comox, British Columbia, as 
assistant, was detailed to this work. They began at Huntingdon, just 
north of the state of Washington, about May 13, 1927, and made extensive 
collections of the fauna, both mammals and birds, of the narrow coastal 
plain west of the Cascade Mountains range. Trips were also made to 
Sumas, and Cultus lake. This region is rather thickly settled, but has a 
rich assortment of small mammalian life, and specimens w T ere taken of 
most of the forms, including the aplodontia (or so-called “mountain 
beaver”), three species of moles, several species of shrews, bats, weasels 
of three different species, two species of skunks, pack-rats, Douglas squirrel, 
flying squirrels, muskrats, and numerous species of mice or voles. 
Mr. Laing moved his base to Lihumption park July 20 and worked 
in this mountain district until August 21. Mr. Young went into the same 
district July 28 and remained until August 7, when he moved to Hope, 
higher up in Cascade mountains. Mr. Laing moved to Hope- 
Princeton summit pass August 21 and remained until September 19, when 
he proceeded to Stevenson creek, near Princeton, where he collected until 
October 8. Mr. Young remained at Hope until September 7, when he 
was obliged to return to Ottawa. The net results of the season’s work 
were: for Mr. Laing, 490 mammals (Cat. Nos. 7492-7961) and 75 birds 
(Cat. Nos. 22430-22504), and for Mr. Young 426 mammals (Nos. 7046- 
7421), 5 birds (Nos. 22303-22306, 22575), and one set of eggs; total 916 
mammals and 80 birds. An interesting record was the taking of several 
specimens of the large black Townsend mole, or Oregon mole, at Hunting- 
don, the first record of the occurrence of this species in Canada. Two 
species of large moles were found near here, and Mr. Young states that 
the larger species, Townsend mole ( Scapa?ius townsendii ) was found 
burrowing on comparatively low ground, whereas the Scheffer mole 
(Scapanus orarius schefferi ), a slightly smaller species, was found higher 
up on the terraces. Both of these moles are Pacific coast species, and in 
Canada are found only in extreme southwestern British Columbia, west 
of the Cascades and south of Fraser river. 
