The measurements of four adult females, taken by Anderson, 1910
and 1911, at Langton Bay, Horton River, and Great Bear Lake
(Nos. 34429, 34434, 34441, 34442, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.) are:
length, 1625-1815 (1736); height at shoulder, 825-1066 (968);
shoulder to hip (one specimen), 863. The average length of these
specimens exceeds that of a Windy River adult female by 146 mm.;
the average height at the shoulder, by 98 mm. The length of an
adult female from Aylmer Lake (J. A. Allen, 1910: 8) exceeds
that of the Windy River specimen by 112 mm.; the length of its
hind foot, by 18 mm.; and the height at the shoulder (Seton,
1929, +3+: 97), by 43 mm.
Thus there appears to be a fairly uniform tendency toward greater body
measurements from southwestern Keewatin to northwestern Mackenzie. The
weight of Seton’s male from Artillery Lake (270¾ lb.) considerably
exceeds the maximum (200 lb.) that I estimated for any of the Windy
River males. Maximum measurements are furnished by winter specimens from
the region of Langton and Darnley Bays.
The skulls of two adult males from Horton River and Artillery
Lake (Nos. 34502 and 29031, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.) measure,
respectively: condylobasal length (tip of premaxillary to
posterior plane of condyles), 381, 371; zygomatic width, 138,
approximately 142; interorbital width, 143, 144; nasal, 126,
112; maxillary tooth-row, 87, 84; mandibular tooth-row (of No.
29031), 93. The rostral profile of the former is slightly
convex; of the latter nearly flat. Comparison with Windy River
adult males (see accompanying table) indicates a longer and a
broader skull in the more northwesterly specimens. The
measurements of the skulls of Southampton Island specimens as
presented by Sutton and Hamilton (1932: 87), suggest a somewhat
larger animal than the mainland form.
The left antler of an adult male from Horton River (No. 34502,
Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.) measures: length, 1248; length of brow
tine, 345; width of brow tine, 360; total points (both antlers),
16 + 14 = 30. The corresponding measurements of two sets of
antlers from Fort Reliance in the American Museum of Natural
History are: No. 121471 (left), 1242-285-108; (right),
1244-412-294; total points, 16 + 23 = 39; No. 121473 (left),
1312-360-290 (broken); (right), 1230 (approx.), brow tine a
spike, not palmated; total points, approximately 19 + 13 = 32.
The Fort Reliance specimens were selected by George G. Goodwin
from a large number of old antlers lying about, and they are
naturally above the average in size. The antlers of adult males
from the Windy River area (see accompanying table) measure
distinctly less than those just mentioned.
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