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3. Canis lestes Merriam Mountain Coyote 
Residents of McCarthy said that coyote had been unknown in region 
until about 1915, when it appeared and took up residence. A few in 
Chitina valley. One met by packers at Bryson’s cabin, May 15. Tracks 
seen all summer on upper Chitina, but makers shy and sighted on only 
three occasions. 
On May 29, while writer was working a way up edge of canyon above 
camp, a coyote below and on opposite side barked at great length. Judged 
to be a female near den, and this borne out later when tracks of a family 
of young found on sand at edge of woods. On June 18 an old female 
outwitted and shot with rifle out on bare river flat. Nursing young. A 
handful of flat, segmented, whitish worms, judged to be tapeworms, 
oozed from gaping bullet-hole and a very large mass of same in body 
cavity. Stomach full and contained remains of a full-grown rabbit that 
had been bolted in large pieces. It would seem that at this date young 
could not have been eating meat or mother would have carried at least a 
portion of her kill to her den. 
Coyotes never heard howling on the Chitina, which seemed remark- 
able. 
Not likely that coming of coyote has had much effect upon mountain 
sheep of this region, unless perhaps young stock are attacked in winter 
at low levels. It was found that in summer coyotes seldom ranged as 
high as timber-line. Climbing steep hillsides evidently did not appeal to 
them. Had they been in habit of climbing, they must have used dusty 
sheep trails, but their tracks on these highways of travel seldom seen. 
Specimen, one, in faded and worn summer pelage, shows skull and dentition characters 
of Canis lestes. Skull larger and more slender than an adult specimen of Canis latrans Say 
from Ontario, but teeth somewhat smaller and less massive. Skull somewhat larger than 
a specimen of Canis nehracensis Merriam, from Alberta. Dr. J. A. Allen, in Bulletin of 
American Museum of Natural History, vol. 24, p. 584, records a specimen of coyote killed 
near Whitehorse on Alsek river, Alaska, in February, 1907. Jos. Dixon, in Journal of 
Mammalogy, vol. 9, 1928, p. 64, records a further extension of range northward and saw 
a skull of Canis lestes found at north base of mount McKinley in 1926, stating that this 
appears to be extreme station in northwest, although there are records of coyote occurring 
farther north along Yukon river. Mr. A. E. Porsild, of Northwest Territories and Yukon 
Branch, Department of Interior, wrote on January 15, 1928, that he was sending to Ottawa 
a skin and skull of coyote taken at Tuktuyaktok on east branch of Mackenzie delta, east 
of Richards island, Mackenzie district, Northwest Territories. He stated that he saw 
remains of another skin killed at Tuktuyaktok winter before, and that in Mackenzie delta 
they are taken occasionally and a few traded every year at McPherson. There is a possi- 
bility that these later records may refer to Canis latrans Say, northern coyote or prairie 
wolf. 
4. Lynx canadensis canadensis Kerr Canada Lynx 
Lynx tracks seen a number of times on river and between Barnard 
glacier and Trail End. Evidently animal rambled far even in summer, 
as one often used canyon route in going to and from Trail End where its 
tracks plain along stream. Often tracked for miles here. Seen but once, 
when on August 5 a ju venal male almost fully grown was routed from 
grassy edge of Teal pond, and shot as he ran off through the burn. He had 
just killed a lesser yellow-legs, but dropped victim in his haste to be off. 
Weight of this specimen estimated to be about 20 pounds. 
Specimen: One, <? juv., August 4. 
Lynxes from northern Canada and Alaska often conventionally classed as Lynx 
canadensis moUijrilosus Stone, type locality, Wain wright inlet, Alaska. A skull from 
Barter island, Alaska, which writer compared some years ago with specimens in United 
