Part 5

Myotis lucifugus alascensis Miller

Little Brown Bat

Myotis lucifugus alascensis Miller, N. Amer. Fauna, 13:63, October 16, 1897. (Type from Sitka, Alaska.)

Specimens examined.--One from British Columbia: Screw Creek, 10 mi. S and 50 mi. E Teslin.

Remarks.--The specimen is considerably darker both above and below than either of two specimens of M. l. alascensis from Red Bluff Bay, Alaska. Alcorn searched ten frame buildings in an abandoned camp on the east side of Screw Creek, for bats and found only the one bat. It was above some droppings. No droppings were found in other buildings.

Ochotona collaris (Nelson)

Collared Pika

Lagomys collaris Nelson, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 8:117, December 21, 1893. (Type from near head of Tanana River, about 200 miles south of Fort Yukon, Alaska.)

Specimens examined.--Total 14, as follows: British Columbia: Stonehouse Creek, 51/2 mi. W jct. Stonehouse Creek and Kelsall River, 1; W side Mt. Glave, 4000 ft., 14 mi. S and 2 mi. E Kelsall Lake, 13.

Remarks.--In comparing specimens obtained by Alcorn with published descriptions of O. collaris in Howell (1924:35), it appeared that measurable geographic variation might be present in this monotypic species. Accordingly, comparisons were made with materials in the Biological Surveys collection of the U. S. National Museum, the Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C., and the National Museum of Canada. A comparison of specimens of similar ages showed that no subspecific separation is justified although animals from the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, and Northwest Territories, as compared with available material from Alaska, tend to be grayer in color and longer in total length with a slightly larger skull and greater alveolar length of molariform tooth-row in both upper and lower jaws.

Specimens used for comparison were from the following localities: Alaska: Mts. near Eagle (USBS), 15; 200 mi. S Fort Yukon (USBS), 2; Upper Little Delta River, Glacier Creek, Mt. Hayes region (USBS), 1; Glacier Creek, Mt. Hayes region (USBS), 3; Little Delta River, Slate Creek, Red Mt. Camp, Mt. Hayes region (USBS), 1; Muldron Glacier, Mt. McKinley (USBS), 2; Mt. McKinley (USBS), 3; Summit of Chugach Mts., on Richardson Highway, N of Valdez (USBS), 1; Chitina River Glacier (Nat. Mus. Canada), 3. Yukon Territory: McMillan Pass, Canol Road, mile 282 (Nat. Mus. Canada), 2; Rose River, Canol Road, mile 95 (Nat. Mus. Canada), 8; Tepee Lake (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1; Conrad (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1; near Teslin Lake (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1. Northwest Territories: headwaters of Caracajou River, Canol Road, mile 111E (Nat. Mus. Canada), 1. British Columbia: White Mt., Moose Arm, Tagish Lake, Atlin (Prov. Mus., Victoria, B.C.), 2.

Lepus americanus macfarlani Merriam

Varying Hare

Lepus americanus macfarlani Merriam, Proc. Washington Acad. Sci., 2:30, March 14, 1900. (Type from Fort Anderson, near mouth of Anderson River, Mackenzie, Canada.)

Specimens examined.--Total 3, as follows: Yukon Territory: W side Lewes River, 2150 ft., 2 mi. S Whitehorse, 1; 5 mi. W Teslin River, 2400 ft., 16 mi. S and 53 mi. E Whitehorse, 1. British Columbia: 14 mi. N Fort Halkett, W side Smith River, 1.

Remarks.--Alcorn reports seeing few hares on his two trips to Alaska. Near the Miniker River, a geologist told him that the numbers of these animals had steadily declined since 1943. One of three seen in a spruce forest on July 8, 1947, near Whitehorse was taken by Alcorn. A young one was captured in a rat trap in a building near the Teslin River on July 5 of the same year.

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus columbiensis A. H. Howell

Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus columbiensis A. H. Howell, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 49:135, August 22, 1936. (Type from Raspberry Creek, about 30 mi. SE of Telegraph Creek, northern British Columbia.)

Specimens examined.--Total 18, as follows: Yukon Territory: McIntyre Creek, 2250 ft., 3 mi. NW Whitehorse, 1; W side Lewes River, 2150 ft., 2 mi. SW Whitehorse, 1; 2 mi. W Teslin River, 2400 ft., 16 mi. E Whitehorse, 1. British Columbia: 1 mi. NW jct. Irons Creek and Liard River, 1; 1/4 mi. S jct. Trout River and Liard River, 3; S side Toad River, 10 mi. S and 21 mi. E Muncho Lake, 3; Summit Pass, 4200 ft., 10 mi. S and 70 mi. W Fort Nelson, 8.

Remarks.--Rand (1944:42) experienced difficulty in assigning subspecific names to red squirrels taken along the Alaska Highway in northern British Columbia. Some variability as found by Rand is noted in adults taken by Alcorn in this area. All of the specimens assigned to T. h. columbiensis have a darker tail and more tawny feet than T. h. preblei. The average of skulls of adults is smaller than the skull of an adult of T. h. preblei from Yerrick Creek, Alaska.

Alcorn obtained most of the squirrels in rat traps and steel traps, using "chewed" rolled oats as well as bits of fish and mouse bodies as bait.

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus petulans (Osgood)

Red Squirrel

Sciurus hudsonicus petulans Osgood, N. Amer. Fauna, 19:27, October 6, 1900. (Type from Glacier, White Pass, Alaska.)

T[amiasciurus]. hudsonicus petulans A. H. Howell, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 49:136, August 22, 1936.

Specimens examined.--Total 7, as follows: Alaska: 1 mi. S Haines, 5 ft., 2. Yukon Territory: SW end Dezadeash Lake, 1; 11/2 mi. E Tatshenshini River, 11/2mi. S and 3 mi. E Dalton Post, 4.

Remarks.--Specimens from extreme southwestern Yukon Territory appear to be referable to this subspecies. The one adult female (skull only, with body measurements) from the southwestern end of Dezadeash Lake has a shorter skull than does any adult female of T. h. columbiensis. No skins of adults are in the series, but the skins of three subadults have darker upper parts, a darker tail and less olivaceous sides than T. h. columbiensis.