MILLER: MAMMALS OF ONTARIO. 
3 
are mostly conifers and aspens, but paper birch occurs in some 
abundance. 
Near the railroad the country has been so frequently swept by 
fire that large tracts are concerted into open ‘ prairies ’ covered with 
reindeer moss, bearberry, blueberries of several kinds, mountain 
cranberry, and a stunted growth of scattered spruce, jack pine, tam¬ 
arack, green alder, dwarf birch, buffalo berry, and in damp places 
Sphagnum and crowberry. 
In receding from its former levels Lake Superior has left series of 
pools, ponds, and small lakes at various heights among the terraces 
and low hills. Some of these small bodies of water have rocky 
banks much like those of Lake Superior itself, while others are 
surrounded by bogs and caribou pastures. The shore of Lake 
Superior in the vicinity of Peninsula Harbor is mostly rocky, but 
in places there are extensive sandy and pebbly beaches which sup¬ 
port a flora much like that of the Atlantic coast in the same latitude. 
The shore-line is very irregular, with many capes, peninsulas, and 
rocky islands. 
Nepigon (September 9 to 24, 1896). — The railroad station and 
Hudson Bay Company’s post of Nepigon are situated on the western 
side of the Nepigon River a few miles above its mouth. Nepigon 
is only about 85 miles west of Peninsula Harbor, and the general 
character of the country at the two places is much the same. Im¬ 
mediately above the settlement the banks of the river form steep 
bluffs of sand and gravel undergoing rapid erosion. Below this 
point, however, they are Hat and marshy for a considerable distance. 
Still further down, the river flows under abrupt overhanging cliffs 
so steep and rocky that in many places they support no vegetation 
except a few rock-loving herbs and shrubs. 
Localities visited by Me. Brooks. 
In a letter dated December 5, 1896, Mr. Brooks gives the follow¬ 
ing account of the localities in Ontario where his observations were 
made. 
Milton. — “Milton is about half way between Hamilton and 
Toronto, and is in a flat, heavv clav countrv. The forest, where 
not cleared off, consists of maple, beech, red oak, white oak, elm, 
basswood, and two species of hickory. Black walnut and butternut 
