MILLER: MAMMALS OF ONTARIO. 
41 
morning, but I only once saw one of the animals. The pale color 
of this caribou’s sides and buttocks made him a conspicuous object 
as he trotted leisurely about the edge of the marsh and among the 
stunted spruces and tamaracks with which it is bordered. 
Procyon lotok (Linn.). 
The raccoon is tolerably common at Mount Forest and rather 
more numerous at Milton (Brooks). 
Mentioned by Gapper as occurring in the region between York 
and Lake Simeoe. 
Mr. William McKirdy of Nepigon told me that a few years ago a 
raccoon was killed by some Indians near Lake Nepigon and brought 
to the Hudson Bay Company’s post. Neither Indians nor traders 
ever had seen the animal in the region before, and to most of the 
former it was entirely unknown. 
Ursus americanus Pallas. 
The black bear is locally common at North Bay, where I saw a 
mounted specimen. On the north shore of Lake Superior it is 
said to be abundant. Bear signs were very numerous at Peninsula 
Harbor on the blueberry covered upland ‘ prairies ’ and on the rocky 
hills back from the lake shore. 
“ The black bear still occurs at Mount Forest ” (Brooks). 
Recorded by Gapper in 1830 from the region between York and 
Lake Simeoe. 
Lutra hudsonica Lacep&de. 
Otters are not common at North Bay, though they are taken in 
considerable numbers at various points about the shore of Lake 
Nipissing. Near Peninsula Harbor and Nepigon they are numerous, 
and I saw several skins taken by Indians at Lake Nepigon. 
Scarce at Mount Forest and very rare at Milton (Brooks). 
Mentioned by Gapper in 1830 among the mammals of Upper 
Canada. 
Mephitis mephitica (Shaw). 
Skunks are common at North Bay, Peninsula Harbor, and 
Nepigon. I also obtained a specimen killed near the mouth of the 
Little Pic River. 
Scarce at Mount Forest; tolerably common at Milton (Brooks). 
