146 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vou 30

GENERAL ACCOUNTS OF THE MAMMALS

The collection of mammals was inadequate and disappointing.
I had not as much time to give to this work as would have been desir-
able, but, nevertheless, assiduous trapping in a variety of surroundings
was so uniformly unsuccessful that failure could hardly have been due
to any cause other than the actual scarcity of most of the smaller
mammals, As an instance in point, trapping was carried on for a week
at a place where lemmings were known to have been abundant at the
game season in previous years, but not one was caught. At several
places extensive systems of runways were trapped over for days and
weeks with but an occasional mouse as a result. Another year might
find small rodents swarming over the same region.

It was a question just what might be included in the following list ;
as it stands it comprises the species that were personally encount-
ered and specifically identified. Bats were seen on several occasions
but not collected. Atlin is in the center of a region that supports a
large amount of big game (sheep, caribou, mountain goat, and bear)
of species that I either did not encounter at all or so casually as not ta
be worth reporting. Similarly, there are fur bearers throughout the
region regarding which I learned nothing. I saw skins of flying
squirrels killed near Atlin, and there are doubtless yet other species
still to be included in any comprehensive account of the mammals of
this section.

Sorex personatus personatus I. Geoffroy. Masked Shrew

Five specimens collected (nos. 34389-34393), one from Surprise
Lake (3200 feet altitude), three from the head of Otter Creek (4000
feet altitude), and one from Atlin.

Sorex obscurus obscurus Merriam. Dusky Shrew

Two specimens collected (nos. 34394-34395), from near the summit
of Spruce Mountain (4500 feet altitude), on August 1.

Neosorex navigator navigator Baird. Water Shrew

A water shrew, presumably of this form, was seen at the head of
Otter Creek (4000 feet altitude), July 30. It was at mid-day, and the
little animal was ascending a small stream, sometimes swimming in
the pools, then running through the shallows. It dived when it saw
me and did not appear again.