i'rurning ;iu& i'ubor. LIBRARY | LIBRARY } Universityof Illinois, t ^ CLASS. BOOK. VOLUME. 50.5 II \«oui«J *x X^i ^^ ^ nre-uur Latest Date stamped below. A charge is made on all overdue books. U. of I. Library <~ f\ , • ; \Ci p-+* vkku^ • y ^j^ -> *T> *k FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM PUBLICATION 40. ZOOLOGICAL SERIES. VOL. I, No. 16. LIST OF MAMMALS OBTAINED BY THADDEUS SURBER, COLLECTOR FOR THE MUSEUM, . CHIEFLY IN OKLAHOMA AND INDIAN TERRITORIES. BY D. G. ELLIOT, F.R.S.E., Curator, Department of Zoology. CHICAGO, U. S. A. October, 1899. LIST OF MAMMALS; FROM OKLAHOMA AND INDIAN TERRITORIES. BY D. G. ELLIOT, F. R.S.E. The specimens enumerated in the following list were procured by Mr. Surber, the official collector of the Field Museum, during the past winter and spring in the two territories named, with the ex- ception of a few obtained in the neighboring States of Texas and Kansas. The two places in which most of Mr. Surber' s work was accomplished were Alva and Dougherty. The first is situated in Wood County in the northern part of Oklahoma Territory, not far from the Kansas line; the other in Indian Territory, about the center of the Chickasaw Nation. Three other places where short stays were made were Noble on the Canadian river in Cleveland County on the borders of the two territories, Arnettville in Noble County, and White Horse Springs, west of Alva. During the prog- ress of his work Mr. Surber kept pretty full notes of the habits of the various species met with, and these have been embodied in the pres- ent paper, and are always signed with his initials. In all something over three hundred specimens of mammals were secured, besides a certain number of fish and reptiles. ORDER MARSUPIALIA. FAM. DIDELPHYID.E. Didelphys californicus. Didelphys californicus. Bennett, P. Z. S. 1833, p. 40. Two adult specimens, Noble, Oklahoma Territory. ORDER RODENTIA. FAM. SCIURID^E. Sciurus ludovicianus. Sciurus ludovicianus. Custis, Bart. Med. and Phys. Journ. n, 1806. One adult female, Noble, Oklahoma Territory. (291) 292 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY, VOL. r. Spermophilus i3-lineatus texensis. Spermophilus i3-lineatus texensis. Merr. Proc. Biol. Soc, Wash., 1898, p. 71. Twenty-four specimens. 14 Noble, 8 Alva, i White Horse Springs, i Arnettville, Oklahoma Territory. Cynomys ludovicianus. Cynomys ludovicianus, Ord, Guth. Geog., 1817, p. 292. Six specimens, White Horse Springs, Oklahoma Territory. " Prairie dogs were common, located as usual in large colo- nies or towns. On a large perfectly level expanse of prairie, south of camp and quite near it, was a colony of several hundred Cynomys. At the time of my visit, the latter part of May and first of June, the young were just beginning to dig their own bur- rows which were not over one-half the size of those of the adults. Shooting these animals was very difficult until I was shown how to do it correctly, after which it became an easy matter to secure them. From their habit of sitting over the burrow, hind feet on one side, fore feet on the other, ready to drop down head first at a flash, it is almost impossible to get them, for in their dying struggles they soon get beyond reach in the almost verti- cal holes. However, by circling around until you can get them fairly in the back of the head with your shot, they drop hind feet foremost into the hole, and all their kicking tends to keep them up instead of pushing them down. By this method one may expect to secure specimens. There seems to be a wide variation in the color of Cynomys^ individuals of several different shades being found together in the same colony. They appear to subsist wholly on the roots and stems of the buffalo grass. Some ranchmen have assured me positively that they have seen prairie dogs kill the large prairie rattlesnake, two or three of the rodents attacking it simultaneously and biting it." (T. S.) FAM. MURID.E. Onychomys leucogaster. Onychomys leucogaster, Wied. Reis. N. Am., 1841, p. 99. Eight specimens. 6 Alva, Oklahoma Territory; 2 Paladura Canon, Texas. Altitude 3,650 feet. " Most o'f the Grasshopper Mice seemed to be either hibernat- Oct. 1899. MAMMALS FROM OKLA. AND IND. TERRS. — ELLIOT. 293 ing, or to have migrated to some other region, for but few were taken, even in localities in which they were common last sum- mer. In my opinion, however, they were hibernating during the severe weather of January and February, for the few speci- mens secured were taken on nights when the temperature had become milder. They live in burrows very much resembling those of the Pocket Mice, but somewhat smaller." (T. S.) Peromyscus attwateri. Peromyscus attwateri, Allen. Bull. Am. Mus., N. Y., vii. 1895, p. 330. Twenty-one specimens from Dougherty, Indian Territory. "This interesting long-tailed Peromyscus was apparently com- mon everywhere, but especially among the loose rock on the ridges east of Dougherty. Nothing much could be learned of their habits, but they are apparently much the same as the other woodland species of the genus." (T. S.) Peromyscus canus. Peromyscus canus. Mearn's Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. Wash. 1895, p. 445. Fifty-two specimens. 16 Alva, 20 Noble, 16 White Horse Springs, Oklahoma Territory. The specimens from Alva are typical canus, with the long tail 66-78 mm. in length. Those from Noble have much shorter tails, 50-69 mm., none equaling the length given for the type 75 mm. But the general colors of the pelage are practically alike, and the skulls do not seem to differ, nor do the young. I have therefore considered them as the same. The difference, however, in the length of the tails is very conspicuous. "The white-footed mice of White Horse Spring represent either two •forms, or the young and adults inhabit a different character of country, never associating together. Invariably I found the small one on the level prairies, while his big relative was always found among the rocks on the high buttes. So far as color is concerned it would be hard to distinguish them apart, but it seems strange that their habitat should be so different. Even low down on White Horse Creek I took two or three specimens among the gypsum cliffs, but no small ones were to be had nearer than the level prairie. Both may prove to be of the same species, but I shall always have my doubts owing to well marked difference in their habits." (T. S.) 294 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY, VOL. i. Sigmodon h. texianus. Sigmodon h. texianus, Aud. and Bach. Quadr. in, 1853, p. 229, PI. 147, Fig. 2. Thirteen specimens. 6 Noble, Oklahoma Territory; 7 Dough- erty, Indian Territory. "The cotton rats were all taken around the edge of a field in the river bottom one and one-half miles north of Dougherty. Apparently they were tolerably common, but from some cause would not enter traps easily. Most of them appeared to be liv- ing in old brush piles from which their runways extended in every direction. I was told they destroyed an immense amount of corn when in the shock, and that they also cut the hay in stacks very badly, particularly about the base after the manner of the meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) in the East." (T. S.) There is considerable difference in the total lengths of adult individuals, the measurements varying as much as twenty milli- meters, and the color of the face ranged in different specimens from a dark gray through rufous to ochraceous. Reithrodontomys dychei. Reithrodontomys dychei, Allen. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. His., N. Y. , 1895, p. 120. Thirty specimens. 29 from Alva, i White Horse Springs, Oklahoma Territory. " The little Harvest Mouse next to Cricetodipus richardsoni is the commonest small mammal found near Alva, and no matter how cold the weather it was never prevented from moving about. There were nights during my stay in Alva when the blizzard was so intensely cold that it was almost unbearable, yet on going to my traps the following day, I found some of these little fellows frozen hard as rocks in the traps, and tracks of many others in the snow. I believe this species is confined exclusively to the flat bottom land along the Salt Fork River, for I failed to secure a single individual anywhere on the prairie. During my stay at this place last summer (1898) I caught but one Harvest Mouse and it was utterly ruined by the ants which are a curse to the animal collector during the warm season." (T. S.) Reithrodontomys chrysotis. Reithrodontomys chrysotis. Elliot. Pub. Field Col. Mus., Chicago, 1899, p. 281, zoology. NEST OF "NEOTOMA M. SURBERI" UNDER ROOT OF COTTONWOOD TREE. Oct. 1899. MAMMALS FROM OKLA. AND IND. TERRS. — ELLIOT. 295 Three specimens from Dougherty, Indian Territory, i Noble, Oklahoma Territory. " This interesting little mouse was taken along the edges of the cotton fields among the dense small growth of vines, bushes, etc., and as all were taken in the same character of surround- ings, I am led to believe it prefers this to the .more open fields, as do most of the species of this genus. One specimen was se- cured one and one-half miles northeast of Dougherty. The speci- men taken at Noble, O. T., in March was also secured in the woodland at the edge of a cotton field. " It must be a rare species, as particular pains were taken at Dougherty to secure a series, but without any success beyond the three specimens." (T. S.). Neotoma macropus surberi. Neotoma macropus surberi. Elliot, Pub. Field Col. Mus.r Chicago, i, 1899, p. 279, zoology. Twenty-five specimens. 23 from White Horse Springs ; 2 canon 3 miles west of Alva, Oklahoma Territory. Two specimens of this new wood rat were first obtained by Mr. Surber near Alva, and one of these served as the type of the sub- species. Subsequently Mr. Surber procured twenty-three more at White Horse Springs, west of Alva on the borders of Wood and Woodward counties. The series of examples bear a remarkably close resemblance and there is but little difference- between the adults and young, the latter exhibiting a slightly- deeper blue gray. It is a very handsome animal, the fur is soft as spun silk and it can readily be distinguished from any of its relatives. "This beautiful wood rat here called locally 'Pack Rat', was first taken on February 2oth and on the following day another was secured, the female. The day on which I took the first specimen was perhaps the most delightful to me of any in my whole field experience, though it was a bitter cold day, the thermometer registering 12 below zero. I had been tramping for two weeks with this rat as my object, going the rounds of my traps in blizzards fully one-third of the time, but all the while thinking it must be N. baileyi, and when at last I secured the first specimen and saw how different it was from any wood rat with which I was acquainted, my joy can better be imagined than described. I first saw signs of the presence of Neotomas in a small but deep canon two miles west of Alva, where they had a large nest built in the hollow of a large cottonwood tree. 296 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY, VOL. i. One of the traps set at this nest was carried off by a rascally Prairie Wolf, presumably with a wood rat in it. About a week later, in a ravine a mile further west, I found an immense fallen, hollow cottonwood tree, literally packed full of sticks, etc. Pulling and punching at this mass, the young man who was with me finally ran* a large rat out, which quickly disappeared in a hollow limb of the same tree, but not before I could see it was of a bluish gray color. Having no axe with me, I was compelled to give up the chase, but returned the next day and set some Schuyler Rat Killers in and about the trees. On looking around after setting these traps, I found about 100 yards lower down the ' draw ' a nest of this rat, or another one. Out of the hollow tree where I first found the rat, the male was taken in a trap set at the front entrance to the nest. Not more than 30 feet from this nest stood a large partially decayed cottonwood, full of holes, and this tree I am positive held more of the rats, as well worn runways led from it to this nest and the bark was much worn on the side of the tree from the animals climbing up it, but although I kept traps set continually around and near the tree and nest until my departure several days later, I got no more Neotomas. I took a photograph of this nest and measured it accurately. It was built under the spreading branches and within a few feet of the base of a large cottonwood tree and was five feet in diameter by two feet in height. Though composed mainly of sticks, some of large size, and leaves, there was a large amount of other material in it, such as many pieces of prickly pear cactus and heads of the sumach, sand burrs, horse, cow and coyote manure, etc. Being very compactly built, I should imagine if would cause considerable exertion on the part of a coyote or badger to tear it open. There were three entrances to the nest near the ground, one near the base of the tree and the other two showing in the photograph. Each entrance was about five inches in diameter, but slightly broader than high. The nest was against the base of the ravine's wall among the grass, and sprouts of some species of ' gum-bark ' bush, the sprouts showing perfectly white where they had been denuded of their bark by the rats. From the nest several smoothly worn runways extended in as many directions, some going up the ravine through the tall, rank grass which forms a roof to the runway quite up to the fallen tree where the male was taken, a distance of fully one hundred yards. Another runway leads up the back of the ravine to the level prairie above. This HAYCOCK" NEST OF "NEOTOMA M. SURBERI" FROM WHICH THE TYPE WAS TAKEN. Oct. 1899. MAMMALS FROM OKLA. AND IND. TERRS. — ELLIOT. 297 rat must be rare, as everyone to whom I showed the two speci- mens assured me they had never seen any like them. My trip to White Horse Springs was principally for the purpose of secur- ing a series of this interesting form, and I am happy to say I succeeded in securing 23 specimens of various ages and sizes. The country about White Horse is broken up by deep ravines with here and there rocky buttes, some of them being fully 100 feet high. These buttes are of many and curious shapes, some being perfect cones, while others look like immense houses with a chimney at one end ; such, for instance, being 'Chimney Butte ' two and one-half miles north of the spring. All of these high buttes have a deep ledge of rock, a sort of reddish sandstone, near their summits, forming cliffs in some places 20 feet high. Lower down on White Horse Creek there are deep canons, crowned with cliffs of gypsum rock, with here and there caves of con- siderable size. Evidently these gypsum cliffs had at some time previous to my visit been favorite haunts of Neotomas, but they were about abandoned as living places at the time of my visit, though at some former time they must have been great resorts from the immense piles of sticks found there. I caught but 3 specimens in these cliffs, all the others being taken in cliffs on the high buttes quite near where I camped. Into the crevices of these cliffs the rats had carried immense piles of sticks, cactus and dried grass and sage; but nowhere did I find any of the hay- cock style of nests such as those near Alva, 20 miles east. From all that I could learn of their food habits they seemed to subsist mainly on green and dried grass, seeds of sumach, and seeds of cactus. In fact this was about all they could get in this semi desert region. Among the loose rock under the cliffs the Neo- tomas had well-beaten runways among the thick growth of weeds and sage. This formed usually a roof over the runways, and I found these to be about 5 inches in diameter on an average. I believe this form of rat to be strictly nocturnal, as I was never able, even by long, patient watching, to see one in day-time. From all that I could learn I also believe them to be migratory to the extent of changing from summer to winter quarters, even though their migrations extend for only a very short distance. That the Neotoma magister Baird of the Alleghany Mountains so migrates I have positive proof, though their migrations are irregular and depend to some extent on the food supply; and I believe this may account for the scarcity of Neotoma m. surberi among the <