INTRODUCTION 
The occurrence of an unharvested and rapidly increasing rein- 
deer herd on St. Matthew Island in the Bering Sea Wildlife Refuge 
offered the opportunity to initiate studies of reindeer-range rela- 
tionships to take advantage of this unique situation. It was felt 
that the knowledge of the population dynamics and range ecology of 
this isolated reindeer herd, with a known history and free of human 
interference, would be of considerable value in understanding compar- 
able range-association problems of the caribou herds on the mainland 
of Alaska. The study was designed to enable an insight into both 
the population dynamics of the reindeer herd and its range relation- 
ships. The work was financed with Federal Aid to Wildlife Restora- 
tion Funds under Alaska Pittman-Robertson Project Number W-3-R. 
Field work was done during the period July 15 - August 9, 1957 
by the author and field assistant James Whisenhant. Transportation 
of personnel and equipment, both to and from St. Matthew Island, was 
accomplished by the Coast Guard Cutter "Wachusett". A brief stop at 
Hall Island was made on August 9, after departure from St. Matthew 
Island. 
During this study there was opportunity to collect information 
relative to other animal populations on, or adjacent to the island. 
Lists of mammals, birds and fishes seen, or known to occur, on St. 
Matthew Island are included in the Appendix with estimates of numbers 
present. <A brief summary of suggestions to aid in future temporary 
or permanent habitation of the island is included in the Appendix. 
Most of the plants collected were identified by Dr. Herbert C. 
Hanson of Catholic University of America, with cooperation from Rev. 
M. Duman on the sedges and rushes, W.C. Steere on the mosses and J.R. 
Swallen on one species of Poa. Dr. Hanson also supplied invaluable 
assistance in the interpretation of plant relationships in the ecology 
of the reindeer range. Lichens were identified by Hildur Krog of the 
Museum of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences. Lists of plants 
collected appear in Appendix Table 8. 
ISLAND TOPOGRAPHY AND WEATHER 
St. Matthew Island (N 60° 30! by W 172° 30') is located in the 
Bering Sea Wildlife Refuge approximately 200 miles south of St. Law- 
rence Island and 170 miles west of Nunivak Island. It is about 32 
miles long by 3% wide and comprises 128 square miles. The topography 
of the island is characterized by a series of north-south ridges, with 
intervening low valleys. The ridges are about a thousand feet high, 
are in most cases eroded to smooth contours and are of volcanic 
origin. The precipitous basalt cliffs, formed by the cutting ac- 
tion of the sea on the mountains, indicate that the basic relief of 
the island was formed by an extensive complex of lava flows. The 
