13 
DIVISION OF BIOLOGY 
R. M. Anderson, Chief of the Division, reports: 
Field Work 
During the field season of 1930, the biological reconnaissance of the 
region in southern British Columbia, along the International Boundary, 
was concluded. This work, begun in 1927 at Huntingdon, had been 
carried eastward as far as Moyie river. In 1930 it was extended east as 
far as Morrissey in Elk River valley, B.C. The work was under the 
charge of H. M. Laing who had done field work for the Museum during the 
nine preceding field seasons. In 1930 he was engaged by the National 
Parks Branch but was allowed to delay his time of reporting until June 1, 
thus permitting him to finish work in southeastern British Columbia, for 
the Museum. He began work on April 23, 4 miles southeast of Cranbrook 
along the bank of Gold creek (altitude 3,014 feet). This region is mostly 
logged-off land, and not very satisfactory for collecting, but a few speci- 
mens especially desired from this transition region were collected. On 
April 27 he moved to Newgate (altitude, 2,371 feet). Here he was joined 
by Mr. Ian McTaggart-Cowan, who acted as student assistant. This 
region provided a diversified ground for collecting. The bottom of Koot- 
enay River valley is heavily wooded with black poplar and white spruce 
overtopping jungles of shrubbery. Typical transition zone country pre- 
vails on the slopes on both sides of the river, with open woods of yellow 
pine and Douglas fir predominating. Western larch was found in only 
one spot east of the river, but west of the river appeared commonly. An 
interesting feature is the presence of ridges and fiats of short-grassed lands 
of considerable extent lying east of the river. Some small lakes lie in the 
hollows, w r ith clumps of white poplar, and the “draws” between the ridges 
are w'ooded with yellow pine. Much of this region has good soil and is 
heavily grazed, but agriculture could only succeed if irrigation were resorted 
to. Kootenay river here seems to be a dividing line between different 
mammalian forms. All the chipmunks east of the river are the buff- 
bellied form ( Eutamias amoenus luteiventris ), whereas those west of the 
river are the paler Columbian chipmunk ( Eutamias amoenus affinis ) which 
occupies a large area in southern British Columbia. The brown pocket 
gopher (Thomomys fuscus) and the Columbian ground squirrel (Citellus 
coluuibianus ) -were exceedingly abundant and are a great pest to the 
ranchers. The badger, which has been nearly exterminated in most of the 
valleys of southern British Columbia, was fairly common on the lower 
benches on the west side of the river where the ground-squirrels were most 
abundant. Fur-bearing mammals were scarce, but coyotes were com- 
mon. Bird life was fairly abundant. Breeding-birds of inteiest on the 
Tobacco plains were Bartramian sandpiper, chestnut-collared longspur, 
and McCown’s longspur. 
Work w r as continued in the Newgate region until May 31, when Mr. 
Laing assumed his duties with the National Parks Branch, first at Jasper 
and later at Banff. Mr. Cowan accompanied Mr. Laing to Jasper 
and Banff, and under his general supervision collected specimens for the 
Museum and studied the wild life of the two parks. In Jasper park work 
