1926} Swarth: Birds and Mammals from the Atlin Region 151

Erethizon epixanthum nigrescens Allen. Dusky Porcupine

A porcupine killed while it was invading the garden at the mounted
police post at Nisuttlin Bay, Teslin Lake, on September 11, was the
only one seen all summer.

Lepus americanus macfarlani Merriam. Mackenzie Varying Hare

Abundant everywhere in the lowlands. In crossing White Pass,
May 21, we saw rabbits from the train when we had descended on the
east slope as far as the upper edge of timber. At Carcross they were
seen daily during our short stay, as they were also in the woods near
Atlin throughout the summer. Stands of young poplars and some-
times of young jack-pine were attacked and girdled by the rabbits on
such a scale that over areas acres in extent well nigh every tree would
be killed. Larger trees, too, were sufferers to some extent (see pl. 8).
Where trees had been chopped down and the smaller branches left
piled to one side, these brush piles were invariably browsed upon by
rabbits until nearly every vestige of bark was removed.

Five specimens were collected (nos. 34459-34463). An adult male
shot July 10 still has white feet and white margined ears. In an adult
female taken August 22 the feet are buffy and there is no white on the
ears. An adult male shot September 21 has both front and hind legs
white and the ears are mostly white.

These animals, all in summer pelage, are notably more grayish
colored, less reddish, than varying hares from the upper Skeena Valley,
which I have elsewhere (Swarth, 1924, p. 384) referred to the sub-
species L. a. columbiensis.

Alces gigas Miller. Alaska Moose

Abundant throughout the region. Fresh tracks were seen con-
stantly within a few miles of the town of Atlin, both in the lowlands
and well up on the mountain slopes. On the shores of Lake Teslin
I saw certain favored spots where the muddy banks were trodden like
cattle yards. That but few of the animals were seen by us through
the summer was largely due, of course, to the fact that, not hunting for
them, we made no effort to avoid noises and actions that would alarm
them ; nevertheless, they showed wariness and ability in keeping out
of sight. In a country similarly populated with deer many more of
those animals would have been encountered.