22 
for a habitat group for the museum. As far as we know, these are the 
first authentic specimens taken and recorded in Canada, although there 
have been various fugitive reports of local colonies. The next stop was 
at Lonesome butte, Saskatchewan, from September 9 to September 16; 
at Big Muddy lake from September 20 to September 26; at McDonald 
lake from September 29 to October 4; at Glen Ewen from October 11 to 
October 17. He then proceeded into southwestern Manitoba, camping first 
at the junction of Antler and Souris rivers, from October 19 to October 24; 
then moving to Max lake, Turtle mountains, where he remained from 
October 27 to November 3. 
Notice having been given that the Government of Saskatchewan had 
decided, after a close season of several years, to open the season of elk 
from November 15 to December 15 this year, and as the elk of that region 
have been considered as a distinct form, the prairie elk ( Cervus canadensis 
manitobensis ) , now restricted to a few small local areas in western Manitoba 
and Saskatchewan, it was considered very desirable to obtain specimens 
for the National Museum before this form of elk is extinct. Mr. Soper 
consulted with the Provincial game officials at Regina and was granted a 
permit to take a male and female of this species, as well as of other big 
game and other mammals encountered. He proceeded from thence to 
Prince Albert, and by team about 60 miles northward to Harper lake, 
Saskatchewan, where he arrived just previous to the opening of the season. 
He received much assistance from Mr. Andrew Holmes, the game guardian 
of that district, who aided him very much in procuring the desired speci- 
mens, and a number of others. He collected in the vicinity of Harper 
lake from November 17 to December 8, and in the vicinity of Birch Bark 
lake from December 12 to December 14, when he returned to his home in 
Alberta. The results of the northern Saskatchewan trip included three elk 
(one being a head obtained from a local resident), two moose, two mule 
deer, one red fox, and a number of smaller mammals. The total results 
of Mr. Soper’s season’s work comprised 639 mammals (Cat. Nos. 7962- 
8600), 103 birds (Nos. 22328-22429), and one set of eggs (No. 1985), a very 
creditable season’s work, considering the variety of the material obtained 
and the unfruitfulness of some of the country traversed. It must be borne 
in mind that the value of biological reconnaissance work can not be judged 
merely by catalogue numbers, as in arid or barren districts where forms of 
life are comparatively few the same amount of effort is involved in obtaining 
one specimen as in collecting eight or ten in other more favourable districts. 
Also, the time and labour involved in collecting and preparing an elk, 
moose, or deer is more than that involved in trapping and skinning two or 
three dozen, or more, squirrels or field mice. 
QUEBEC 
Mr. Joseph Rochon continued field work in the province of Quebec 
from August 15 until September 15 at Ste. Veronique, Labelle county, 
Quebec. The results of his work consisted of 141 mammals, mostly skins 
and skulls of small species, although some small skeletons were obtained. 
A good assortment of the small mammals of the region was secured, although, 
as many species are very local in distribution, and some of them are rare, 
it is impossible to get a complete collection in any one season. The period- 
icity of fluctuation in numbers of some species in different years is an 
