w Shelf ^o. d$(LZ.J&4 GIVEX BY ■ ■ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY AND MAMMALOGY NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA No. 5 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE [Actual date of publication, July 30, 1H91] Results of a Biological Reconnoissance of south-central Idaho 1. General Results 2. Annotated List of Mammals, with descriptions of new species 3. Annotated List of Birds, with description of a new Owl By Ih;. i . II Mil Mkki:iam 4. Annotated List of Reptiles and Batrachians By Dm, Lronhako Stkjneger Descriptions of a new genus and two new species of North American Mammals By Dk. C. Hakt Mkkkiam WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE i a 9 1 North American Fauna, No. 5. Plate / h DWARF SCREECH OWL. (Jfegascops fiammeolus idahoensis sabsp.nov: ) A.Hnen XCo.Lithncaustic.Bahimnre. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY AND MAMMALOGY NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA jSTo. o PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE [Actual date of publication, July 30, 1891] Results of a Biological Reconnoissauce of south-central Idaho 1. General Results 2. Annotated List of Mammals, with descriptions of new species 3. Annotated List of Birds, with description of a new Owl By Dk. C. Hari Mkrriam 4. Annotated List of Reptiles and Batrachians By Dk. Leoxhakd Stkjnkger Descriptions of a new genus and two new species of North American Mammals By Dk. C. Hakt Mekriam WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1891 U. S. Department of Agriculture, March 16, 1891. Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript of No. 5 of North American Fauna. It contains the results of a Biological Recounoissance of a part of Idaho, which I had the honor to conduct under your instructions during August, September, and October, 1890 ; and also descriptions of a new genus and several new species of Xorth American mammals. Respectfully, C. Hart Merriam, Chief of Division of Ornithology and Mammalogy, Hon. J. M. Rusk, Secretary of Agriculture. 1 ' / CONTENTS. Page. Letter of Transmittal m Results of a Biological Reconnoissanxe of South-Central Idaho . 1-113 Prefatory note 1 Itinerary 1-3 Personnel 3 Acknowledgments 3-4 Introduction 4-5 General description of the region traversed 5-29 Snake Plains 5-8 Birch Creek and Lemhi Valley 8-9 Salmon River Mountains 9-12 Life Zones of the Salmon River Mountains 10-12 Arctic Alpiue zone 10 Subalpine or Timber-line zone 10-11 Hudsonian or Spruce zone 11 Canadian or Douglas Fir zone 11-12 Little Lost River Valley 12 Pahsimeroi Valley 12-14 Pahsimeroi Mountains 14-15 Round or Challis Valley 15 Antelope Valley 15 Big Lost River Valley 15-16 Valley of Big Wood River 16-17 Valley at head of Salmon River 17 Saw Tooth Mountains 17-20 Birds of Saw Tooth Mountains 19-20 Brunneau Mountains 21 Life Zones of Idaho 21-25 Arctic- Alpine 22 Sub- Alpine 22 Hudsonian or Spruce 23 Canadian or Douglas Fir 23-24 Neutral or Transition 24 Upper Souoran 25 Forest Trees of the Mountains of south-central Idaho 25-27 Molluscs of south-central Idaho 27 Effects of water courses on the distribution of species 28 Origin of the name Market Lake 28-29 Mammals of Idaho 31-87 Check List ;. 31-32 Annotated List, with descriptions of new species 32-87 Birds of Idaho, annotated list 89-108 Reptiles and Batrachians of Idaho 109-113 Descriptions of a new Genus and two new Species of North Ameri- can Mammals 115-119 Description of a new genus and species of Dwarf Kangaroo Rat (Micro- dipodopx megacephalus) 115-117 Description of a new Evotomys from the Black Hills of South Dakota 119 v ILLUSTRATIONS Plate I. Colored plate of Dwarf Screech Owl (Megascops flammeolua idahoensis subsp. nov.). Frontispiece. II. Figs. 1-2, Arvicola riparius (teeth X 10). :i-i, Arvicola tnordax sp. nov. Type (teetb x 10). 5-6, Arvicola nanus sp. nov. Type (teeth X 10). 7-3, Arvicola macropus sp. nov. Type (teetb x 10). III. Figs. 1-2, Arvicola pauperrimus (teeth X 15). 3-4, Phenacomys orophilus sp. nov. Type (teeth X 1">). 5-6, Eroiomys idahoensis sp. nov. Type (teeth X L5). 7-8. Eroiomys brericaudw sp. nov. Type (teetb x 15). IV. Fig. 1, Sores idahoensis sp. nov. Type (jaws with toeth X 10). 2, Sorex dobsoni sp. nov. Type yaws with teeth X 10). 3, Sorex vagrant similia subsp. nov. Type (jaws with teeth xlO). FIGURES IX TEXT. Figure 1. Cone of Pinna albieaulia gnawed by Richardson's Squirrel (natural size). 2. Onychomya brevicaudua (teetb x 15). 3. Hesperomys crinitm (teeth Xlo). 4. Lepua idahoensis (skull natural size). No. 5. NOETH AMERICAN FAUNA. July, 1891. RESULTS OF A BIOLOGICAL REC0NN01SSANCE OF IDAHO, SOUTH OF LATITUDE 45° AND EAST OF THE THIRTY-EIGHTH MERIDIAN. MADE DURING THE SUMMER OF 18911, WITH ANNOTATED LISTS OF THE MAMMALS AND BIRDS. AND DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. By Dr. C. Hart Merriam. PREFATORY NOTE. The preseut paper consists of the results, hastily brought together, of a biological recounoissance ot'Southeru Idaho, made during the sum- mer and fall of 1890, by the Division of Ornithology and Mammalogy of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The information heretofore available relating to the natural history of Idaho is so exceedingly scanty that all attempts to map the distri- bution of mammals or birds in the West, or to define the boundaries of fauual and floral zones, have encountered in this State an insuperable barrier, a veritable terra incognita. It was for the purpose of breaking down this barrier that I asked permission of the Honorable Secretary and Assistant Secretary of Agriculture to undertake a biological recounoissance of a part of Idaho during the summer of 1890. Permission having been granted, the work was done and the results are here briefly recorded. The number of birds known from the State is increased from 01 to 158 ; and the mammals from 15 to 67. One new owl and twelve new mam- mals were discovered and are here described. Much remaius to be done, particularly iu the northern part of the State, but enough has been accomplished to remove the obscurity previously investing the region and to furnish the key to the distribution of life iu Idaho. ITINERARY. The expedition outfitted at Black foot, Idaho, July 8, 1890, crossed Snake River, and proceeded in a westerly direction over the sage plains and lava beds to Big Butte ; thence northerly to Big Lost River, which was ascended to a point about 13 kilometers (8 miles) north of Arco ; thence skirting the southern spur of the mouutain range between Big 26789— No. 5 \ 1 2 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. and Little Lost River Valleys, the latter was asceuded 24 kilometers (15 miles) and crossed to the mountains on the east side ('Lost River Mountains') ; returning to the mouth of Little Lost River and crossing the sage plains in an easterly direction to the sinks of Big Lost River and Birch Creek, Birch Creek was ascended to its headwaters, and the low divide was crossed to Lemhi River, which was descended to its junction with Salmon River near Salmon City, the most northerly point reached. Several side trips were made into the Salmon River Mountains from Birch Creek and Lemhi Valleys. There being no wagon pass over these mountains, it was necessary to return south by means of the same valleys and recross the sage plains to the mouth of Little Lost River. Little Lost River was then followed to its source and the divide between it and Pahsimeroi Valley was crossed. A side trip was made to a cluster of high mountains at the sources of the Pahsimeroi on the south side of the east end of the valley of the same name. This valley was then descended to its junction with Sal- mon River, whence, turning south, the valley of Salmon River was ascended to Round or Challis Valley ; thence, continuing southward through Antelope Valley and across the divide between Antelope Val- ley and Thousand Spring Valley to Big Lost River, Big Lost River was ascended to its very head, and the divide was crossed to Trail Creek, which was descended to its junction with Wood River near the town of Ketchum ; Wood River was ascended to its headwaters, and the high divide, 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) in altitude, separating it from the head of Salmon River, was crossed, and Saw Tooth Lake and Mountains were visited. Returning from the Saw Tooth Mountains, the route lay thence south- erly, following in the main the course of Wood River (which, after it enters the sage plains, is called Big Wood or Malade) to a point 6£ kilo- meters (4 miles) northwest of the town of Shoshone; thence directly south across the lava beds and sage plains to Shoshone Falls in the great lava canon of Snake River. The north side of this canon was followed down to Payne or Lewis Ferry, where the river was crossed. Ascending the bluffs on the south side, a southeasterly direction was taken to Castle Canon and Devil Canon ; the latter being found im- passable, the course was changed to south aud southwest until inter- cepted by a long rauge of unmapped mountains, running from east- northeast to west-southwest from Salmon Falls River westerly across the headwaters of the Brunueau and extending as far at least as the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. The foot of this rauge was followed in a westerly direction to Three Creek, one of the headwaters of Bran- neau River ; thence turning southerly the range was crossed through a pass 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) in altitude between the high peaks locally known as Elk Mountain on the east and the Brunneau Moun- tains on tilt} west ; descending on the south side. Canon Creek was fol« July, 1891.1 BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 6 lowed to its junction with Salmon Creek, and the latter to its head- waters, whence a low and almost imperceptible divide was crossed to the headwaters of Mary River ; Mary Eiver was descended to Cold Spring, from which a southeasterly course was taken across the sage plains to Humboldt Wells, Nevada (on the Central Pacific Railroad), where the expedition disbanded October 17. A detailed biological survey was not attended, but a reconnoissance was made of about 51,800 myriares (20,000 square miles). Altitudes were determined by aneroids and must be regarded as approximate only. The aueroids were compared with standard cistern barometers at the signal station in Salt Lake City at both ends of the journey, and were checked by known elevations of several stations on the lines of the Utah Northern and Oregon Short Line railroads. PERSONNEL. The members of the expedition, in addition to myself, were : Vernon Bailey, chief field naturalist; Basil Hicks Dutcher and Clark P. Streator, assistants, with one man as cook and teamster. Mr. Bailey acted in charge from July 8 until August 23, when relieved by me. On the latter date Mr. Streator was sent to Oregon and Washington in order to ascertain the relations of the fauna of the Plains of the Columbia to that of the Snake Plains. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Capt. Charles E. Bendire, Curator of the Department of Oology in the U. S. National Museum, has had the kiudness to read the manu- script of the bird chapter and has added several species from his own unpublished notes, as well as additional information concerning other species. Mr. Robert Ridgway, Curator of the Department of Birds in the National Museum, has rendered important assistance by comparing certain subspecies with specimens in the Museum collection. Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, Curator of the Department of Reptiles in the National Museum, has identified the reptiles and batrachiaus col- lected by the expedition, and has prepared an annotated list, which will be found at the end of the present report. Dr. R. E. C. Stearns has identified the molluscs collected, and Mr. Walter Faxon the crayfish. Most of the plants mentioned in the report were identified in the field by Mr. Bailey and myself. Others were brought back and have been determined by Mr. John M. Ilolziuger, AssistautBotauist U. S. Depart- ment of Agriculture, who also confirmed many of our field identifica- tions. The Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 4 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. I No. 5. contains several types of mammals collected by Townsend in Idaho and Oregon more than half a century ago and described by Bacbman in 1839.* Through the courtesy of the officers of the Academy these types have been sent me for examination and I have been able to com- pare them with specimens collected by us in the same region, thus es- tablishing in several instances the identity of species previously in doubt or wrongly referred. INTRODUCTION. Very much less is known of the natural history of Idaho than of any other State or Territory in the Union; and no map of Idaho thus far published can claim even approximate accuracy. In May, 1806, Lewis and Clark, returning from the Pacific to the headwaters of the Missouri, crossed tbe northern part of Idaho along the course of tbe Clearwater (about latitude 46° 30'). The narrative of their travels mentions the Deer, Elk, Moose, Bear, Bighorn, Burrowing Squirrel, [tree] Squirrel, Ducks, Pheasants, Buzzards, Hawks, Eagles, and Sand hill Craues as observed in the region at present included within the boundaries of the State. Nearly 30 years later (in 1834) JohnK. Townsend made an overland journey from St. Louis to Oregon, in the course of which he crossed the Snake Plains and reached the southern spurs of the mountains which extend into the plains from the great mountain mass of central Idaho. His narrative mentions the Buffalo and other game, and a few of the smaller animals. From 1853 to 1857 several of the exploring parties of the Pacific Railroad Surveys passed through Idaho, but their reports contain nothing relating to the natural history of the region, except the occasional incidental mention of game. With these exceptions nothing was known to naturalists of the animal life of Idaho until 1872, when it was my privilege to accom- pany, in the capacity of naturalist, the U. S. Geological Survey of the Territories, under the com maud of the late Dr. F. V. Hay den. This expedition entered southeastern Idaho from Utah, passed up Malade Valley, and continued northward through eastern Idaho to Fort Hall and Market Lake (crossing Snake River at Eagle Rock); then, turning in an easterly direction, it visited Teton Basin, and, again bearing north- ward, followed Henry Fork of Snake River to Henry Lake, and thence passed into Montana and the Yellowstone National Park through Tah- gee Pass. Returning in October, the expedition reentered Idaho from Wyoming south of the Teton Range, revisited Fort Hall, and thence moved southward over essentially the same route as that taken on the northward march in June and July. During this expedition I collected in Idaho fifteen species of mammals and recorded sixty-four species of * Journal Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila. , vol. vm, 1839, pp. 57-74, 101-105. July, 1691.] BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 5 birds, all of which are enumerated with precise localities and dates in my oiJQcial report.* In 1875 Mr. Robert Rkigway published a list! of five species of birds observed by him at ' City of Rocks,' in extreme southern Idaho, when attached to the Clarence King expedition as ornithologist. In 1877 Capt. Charles E. Bendire published a paper on the ' Birds of Southeastern Oregon,7 in which eighteen species are mentioned that were observed by him in Idaho, mainly iu the neighborhood of Fort Lapwai.J The scanty information above indicated comprises all the records heretofore published, so far as I am aware, relating to the mammals and birds of Idaho, save the incidental mention of a few species iu notes on hunting aud fishing that have appeared in ' Forest and Stream ' and 1 The American Field.' GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE REGION TRAVERSED. SNAKE TLAINS. The Basin of Snake River in Idaho is an undulating, sage-covered plain stretching completely across the State in its widest part. It is crescentic in shape (with the convexity to the south) and measures about GOO kilometers (375 miles) in length by 120 to 100 kilometers (75 to 100 miles) iu average breadth. Its boundaries on the north and east are everywhere sharply defined, consisting of rugged mountains rising more or less precipitously from the plain. In several places these mountains project southward in parallel ranges, like so many fingers, alternating with northward extensions of the plains, which occupy the valleys between them. Such valleys are those of Birch Creek and Lemhi River, Little Lost River, Big Lost River, and M abide or Big Wood River. On the south and west the Snake Plains arc not so well defined, passing southward into Utah and Nevada between irregular ranges of mountains, and westward aud northwestward into Oregon and Washington, where they are continuous with the Malheur Plains and Plains of the Columbia. The altitude of the basin along the course of Snake River is about 1,800 meters (nearly 0,000 feet) at the eastern end and less than 900 meters (3,000 feet) at the western, and its sides rise on the north aud south to the altitude of 2,000 or even 2,150 meters "Sixth Annual Report U. S. Geological Survey of the Territories, for 1872, 1873. Report on the Mammals and Birds of the Expedition, by C. Hart Merriam, pp. (J(»l- 715. I wan theu a lad of U>, andaboyisb exaggeration of the unreliability of ocular evidence led me to the extreme coarse of omitting mention of every species of which specimens were not actually brought back to Washington. Nothing is said, there- fore, of the deer aud elk, with which our camp was often supplied, or of the turkey bnzzard, white pelican, and other birds that were many times observed. t Bull. Essex Inst., vn, 1, January, 18?f>, p. 24. Also, 4° Report II. 8. Geological Expl. Fortieth Parallel, Clarence King in Charge, vol. IV, L877, pp. 365,366. tProc. Boat. Soc. Nat. Hist,., vol. xix, 1877, pp. H)'J-14y. 6 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. (No. 5. (approximately 6,500 to 7,000 feet), forming a broad trough whose gen- eral direction is east and west. The dominant feature of the Snake River Basin is sage plains — rolling, uninterrupted plains, rising so gradually from the bottom of the basin as to appear almost level, and stretching away in every direction as far as the eye can reach. The plains are every where aridi The few streams that reach Snake Eiver by a surface course usually flow in lava chan- nels and do not water the region on either side. The surface rock which crops out here and there over the sage plains proper is dark basaltic lava. It appears in the form of irregular masses or beds, extensive lava flows, and in a few instances of broken-down cra- ters, the largest of which, Big Butte, rises about 600 meters (2,000 feet) above the plain. Some of tbe canons of Big Butte support a growth of Douglas fir and Murray pine. The lava flows present great diversity of form ; elevated ridges of rough rock irrregularly fissured and with jagged edges alternate with smooth, flat domes, suggesting giant bub- bles ; nearly level stretches marked by wavelets and ripples which bend and double, spread out as if just escaped from a seethiug, tumultuous caldron, while in many places the thick crust has fallen in, leaving deep pits of circular or elliptical outline, exposing the mouths of dark cav- erns that extend to unknown depths and furnish homes to owls and bats and a multitude of other nocturnal animals. This black lava or basalt overlies an earlier flow of porphyritic trachite, gray in color and much less firm in texture. The Great Shoshone Fall, commonly known as the 'Niagara of the West,' results from the cutting down of the river bed through the hard basalt to the softer trachite below. In summer the heat is excessive, the thermometer frequently reach- ing 110° in the shade, while in winter the snow covers the ground, and icy winds sweep over the plain. The forms of life which inhabit the region, therefore, are such as can endure great heat during the season of repro- ductive activity, and can avoid the cold of winter by migration or hi- bernation; or if they remain active throughout the year they are hardy speciesj able to withstand great extremes of temperature and humidity. Most of the rivers which flow down through the mountain valleys disappear on reaching the plains, and the greater part of the water which reaches Snake River does so by subterranean channels. Hun- dreds of springs pour their waters into the lava caiions of Snake River, usually at or near the bottom, and many of them are of great size. In winter their temperature is considerably higher than that of the river. Crayfish, identified by Mr. Walter Faxon as Astaous gambellii (Girard), abound in these warm springs and are much sought after by raccoons (Procyon lotor f ); and a small shell, identified by Dr. R. E. C. Stearns as Fluminicola nitttalliana Lea, is exceedingly abundant on stones in the same springs. It is a common feature of the Snake Plains, as of many other arid parts of the West, that the rivers which do not sink cut for themselves JuLY,lfe9l] BIOLOGICAL KECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 7 deep channels with precipitous walls, their present beds being" several hundred feet below the general surface level. Of this character are the graud lava canons of Snake River itself and many of its tributaries, particularly on the south side. As a rule these canons can not be seen until their very brinksare reached, and it is not often that they can be crossed on horseback. The northern boundary of the Snake Plains is formed by the lofty mountains of central Idaho, and by that part of the main range of the Rocky Mountains which bends directly westward from the Yellowstone National Park. Three narrow parallel valleys penetrate the mountains of east-central Idaho in a northwesterly direction, carrying slender tongues of the sage plaius all the way to Salmon River. The soil of the Snake Plains, where not lava or sand, is generally alkaline, and the characteristic plants, in addition to the ever present sage (Artemisia tridentata), are such Souoran species as Atriplex con- fertifolia, Atriplex nuttallii, Artemisia pedatijida, Sarcobatus vermicu- latus, Tetradymia canescens, Eurotia lanata, Eriogotnun cernuum tenue, several species of Bigelovia, a Malvastrum, and two or three kinds of cactus. Artemisia trijida and Purshia tridentata are common in the higher levels; and Iva axillaris, a saline species, was found at the sinks of Big Lost River. The characteristic birds of the sage plains are the Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli nevadensis), Brewer's Sparrow (Spizellabreiveri), Sage Thrasher (Oroscoptes montanus), Burrowing Owl (Speotyto ciniieularia hypog(va), Sage Hen (Centrocercus uroplwsianus), and Sharp-tailed Grouse (Pedioccetes phasianellus columbianus), though the latter is rare in the area traversed. Ravens {Corvus corax sinuatus) and Magpies (Pica pica hudsonica) are common in places, and the Canon Wren (Catherpes conspersus) was found near Shoshone Falls in the lava canon of Snake River. The most common diurnal mammals are the Great Basin or Sage Chipmunk (Tamias minimus pictus) and a small Spermophile (Spermo- philus toivnscndi). Other equally characteristic species are the noctur- nal Kangaroo Rat (Dipodops ordii), Pocket Mouse (Perognathns oliva- ceus), Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster brevicaudus). Four species of Rabbits, namely, the White-tailed and the Black-tailed Jack Rabbits (Lepus campestris and L. texianus), the Idaho Pigmy Rabbit (Lepus idahoensis), here described for the first time, and the Great Basin Cotton-tail (Lcpus sylvaticus nuttalli) are common. Antelope roam over the plains in small herds, and Badgers and Coyotes are abundant. In the lava canon of Snake River, near Shoshone Falls, the Plateau Lynx (Lynx bailcyi), Raccoon (Procyon lotor f), Little Striped Skunk iSpilogale saxatilis ."), Dusky Wood Rat (Neotoma ciherea occidental is), and Cliff Mouse (Ilesperomys crinitus sp. nov.) are common, and tracks of Porcupine (Erethizon epixanthus) were seen. Black-tailed Deer (Garia- cus macrotis) inhabit the canon in winter. 8 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. Rattlesnakes (Crotalus lacifer), Horned Toads (Phrynosoma douglasii), and small Lizards (Sceloporus graciosus) are common on the Snako Plains, and extend north, through the principal sage-covered valleys. Two Bull Snakes, provisionally referred to Pituophis catenifer by Dr. Stejneger, were collected at Big Butte and Areo, and a single Bascanion vetustus at Big Butte. Salmon aud Sturgeon ascend Snake River to the Great Shoshone Fall. When we crossed the river at Lewis Ferry, October 12, we saw several large Sturgeon (Aclpenser transmontanus) tied by the tails to stakes driven in the bank. One weighed fully 70 kilograms (L50 pounds), and we were told by Mr. Lewis that he sometimes catches individuals weigh- ing as much as 300 kilograms (060 pounds). He told us also that the fall run of Salmon reached his place about October 1, and that the fish that do not die go back iu November. We met a number of Shoshone or Bannock Indians on their way to the river to spear Salmon. Some of them came all the way from the Lemhi Reservation. A kind of Mole Cricket locally known as the Idaho Devil (Stenopalma- tus fasciatus) is common on the Snake Plains in October. It is a large wingless insect with a great yellow head, powerful jaws, and a banded abdomen. I first saw it iu eastern Idaho iu October, 1872, and found it common from Shoshone Falls and Lewis Ferry to the headwaters of Brunneau River in October, 1890. It lives in burrows in the sage plains and its holes resemble those of the small Pocket Mice (Peropna- thus olivaceus) iu being cleau cut, going straight down at first, and hav- ing no mound at the opening. In crossing the plains during cold stormy weather the heads of these curious animals were often seen at the mouths of their burrows and many were met with walking about among the sagebrush. They walk much, with seeming diguity and deliberation, and their tracks may be seen iu every direction. If two are held together they immediately bite off one another's legs and inflict other serious wounds. They bite a large straw in two at a single nip. BIRCH CREEK AND LEMHI VALLEY. The most easterly aud longest of the series of parallel valleys which penetrate the mountains of east central Idaho is that of Birch Creek and Lemhi River. It is 160 kilometers (100 miles) in length by 6 or 8 kilometers (4 or 5 miles) in average breadth, and may be described as a single valley containing two streams which run in opposite directions, the divide between them being only a little over 2,130 meters (7,000 feet). Birch Creek sinks where it enters the Snake River Desert near the intersection of latitude 44° and longitude 113° ; the Lemhi empties into Salmon River at Salmon City. The eastern boundary of Lemhi Valley is formed by the main chain of the Rocky Mountains (here occu- pying the boundary line between Idaho and Montana) ; and that of Birch Creek Valley by a southern offshoot or ridge of the same which terminates abruptly iu a spur known as Rattlesnake Point. The west- July, 1891.) BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANPE OP IDAHO. 9 ern boundary of the whole valley is the Salmon River Mountains (the southern part of which is sometimes called the 'Lost River Moun- tains'). The Salmon River Mountains are much higher and more rugged than the Rocky Mountains, the peaks attaining an altitude of nearly 3,950 meters (13,000 feet) and being everywhere blotched with snow, while those of the latter rarely reach 3,350 meters (11,000 feet) and as a rule do not exceed timber line except near Salmon City. The vegetation of the valley of Birch Creek and the Lemhi is much the same as that of the Snake Plains already described. Sage brush (Artemisia tridentata) covers the whole valley and reaches up over the foothills to the lower border of the coniferous forests which come down from the mountains. Artemisia trifida and Bigelovia graveolens are common in places along the higher parts of the valley and sides of the foothills. Atriplex confertifolia, Sarcobatus vermiculatits, and Tetradymia canescens occur in large patches in the lower levels up to about 1,050 meters (6,400 feet). This loweror Sonoran zone reaches northward to the lava dike at Johnston's Ranch, 16 kilometers (10 miles) south of Nicholia, and reappears about 48 kilometers (30 miles) further north, in the upper Lemhi Valley, whence it extends down to Salmon River. The inter- vening divide rises gradually to the height of a little more than 2,100 meters (7,000 feet) and is everywhere covered with sage. Rattlesnakes (Crotalus) and Horned Toads (Phrynosoma douglassii) are common in Birch Creek and Lemhi Valley, though the Rattlesnakes seem to be confined to the Sonoran or lower levels. Oroscoptes montanus and Ampliispiza belli nevadensis are common ; and ranis atricapillus septentrionalis inhabits the willow thickets along the streams. Jjcpus campestris, L. lexianus, L. sylraticus nuttalli, and L. idahoensis range throughout the entire length of the valley, as does the Sage Chipmunk. Rocket Mice inhabit the gravel benches, but Kangaroo Rats extend only a short distance up the valley. SALMON RIVER MOUNTAINS. The above heading has been somewhat loosely applied to various masses of mountains in the neighborhood of the upper Salmon River in central Idaho. The use of the name is here restricted to the range universally known as the Salmon River Range, lying between the Lemhi Valley on the east and Salmon River and the Pahsimeroi on the west. Its southward continuation (between the valleys of Birch Creek aud Little Lost River) is called 'Lost River Mountains' on the Land Office map, though there is no break in the range, either in continuity or direction, and I would suggest that the name 'Lost River Mountains' might be far more appropriately applied to the nameless rauge between Big and Little Lost Rivers. Between Birch Creek and Little Lost River the range is narrow and culminates in a single ridge of peaks, so that the profile is nearly the same from both valleys. Dome Peak is 10 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. tbe highest poiut in the southern part of the range, and Needle Peak* only a little lower. Both are nearly 3,950 meters (13,000 feet) in altitude. The northern part of the Salmon River Mountains is very much broader than the southern aud has no appearance of a range except from the valleys of the Lemhi and Pahsimeroi Rivers. Between these valleys is a great mass of high mountains culminating in a large number of irregularly disposed peaks, many of which exceed 3,650 meters (12,000 feet) in altitude. The geologic history of the region has not been studied, but it is evident that great and violent disturbances have taken place. Not only are mountains of granite, carboniferous limestone, and lava found in close proximity, but these three kinds of material, formed during widely remote periods of time, sometimes exist in actual contact in single peaks. Examples of such peaks may be found between the heads of Timber Creek and Eight-Mile Canon. Looking west, north- west, and southwest from the summit of a high mountain north of Tim- ber Creek nothing could be seen but a sea of lofty, rugged peaks heav- ily marbled with snow and separated by narrow gulches and deep canons. The Pahsimeroi valley was not visible. LIFE ZONES OP THE SALMON RIVER MOUNTAINS. Arctic Alpine Zone. — Many arctic-alpine plants grow upon the rocky summits of these mountains and five species were collected which were found by us on San Francisco Mountain, Arizona, in 1889,t namely, Oxyriadigyna, Sibbaldia procumbens, Geumrossii,\ Polemonium eonfertum, aud Silene acaulis. Dense mats of a dwarf willow (Salix reticulata) only 50 to 75 millimeters (2 or 3 inches) in height aud bearing quantities of beautiful white wool which the chipmunks were carrying off in large mouthfuls, abound below some of the snow banks; Deds of wiry Bryan- thus taxifolius border many of the springs, aud Draba alpina occurs here and there among the rocks. To these should be added Anemone balden- sis, collected by Mr. Bailey on Needle Peak, and Actinella grandiftora, collected on a peak near the head of Timber Creek. The birds found above timber line are Leucosticte atrata and Anthus pensilvanicus ; prob- ably the former belongs to this zone and the latter to the next. Moun- tain Goats (Mazama montana) aud Sheep (Ovis canadensis) inhabit the summits in summer, but probably belong to the zone below. The upward ranges of the Pika (Lagomys princeps) and Marmot (Arctomys sp. ?) extend far above timber line. Sub-alpine or Timber-line Zone. — The altitude of timber line on the Salmon River Mountains varies from 3.050 to nearly 3,350 meters (10,000 to 11,000 feet), according to slope exposure. The trees which attain timber line and constitute the upper forest belt are Pinus albicaulis and * Needle Peak is carboniferous limestone. Fossils collected there by Mr. Bailey have been determined by Mr. Charles D. Walcott as belongiug to the genus Zaphrentis. tN. Am. Fauna No. 3, Sept. 1W90, pp. 7-8. {Mr. Holzinger determines this form to be the subspecies humile. July, 1891] BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 11 Abies subalpina, with an occasional Picea engelmanni. This belt may be divided into two zones — Sub-alpine and Hudsonian — as was done in treating of the life of San Francisco Mountain, Arizona. In the upper or dwarf timber zone the following small plants were found: Arenaria biflora carnulosa, Arenaria congesta subcongesta, Aplopappus lyellii, Aplo- pappus suffruticosus, Chcenactis douglassi alpina, Delphinium menziesii, Heuchera hallii, Pentstemon menziesii, Phleum alpinum, Potentilla nivea dissecta, Sedum debile, Senecio aureus compactus, and Soiidago virgaurea alpina. Several of these range above timber line. The Titlark (Anthus pensilvanicus) probably breeds in this zone. The only characteristic mammal obtained is a uew species of Lemming Mouse (Phenacomys orophilus), though the Pika (Lagomys princeps) seems to find here its center of abundance. The Mountain Goat and Sheep (Mazama montana and Ovis canadensis) inhabit both the Sub-alpiue and Arctic-alpine zones in summer, but I am inclined to believe that they really breed in the former, and therefore should be classed among the species properly belonging to this zone. Hudsonian or Spruce Zone. — As stated in the previous section, the characteristic trees of the Hudsonian or upper timber belt of the Sal- mon River Mountains are Pinus albicaulis and Abies subalpina, spar- ingly mixed with Picea engelmanni. Another species, Picea alba, occurs with them and descends into the lower timber belt also. The altitude of the lower border of this zone on the eastern slope of the mountains is about 2,750 meters (9,000 feet). Among the small plants fouud in this zone on the Salmon River Mountains during the latter part of August were: Astragalus Tcentrophyta, Calochortus gunnisoni, Calochortus nitidus, Erigeron compositus trifidus, Eriogonum ovalifolium, Gaultheria myrsin- ites, Heuchera parv if olia, Saxifraga bronchialis, Senecio canus, aud Silene douglasii. Among birds, Clark's Crow (Picicorvus columbianus), the Goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus)y Pine Bullfinch (Pinicola enucleator), and Pink sided Junco (Junco annectens) are characteristic species. Phenacomys orophilus sp. nov., is the only mammal found in this zone and not found below. Canadian or Douglas Fir Zone. — On the east slope of the Salmon River Mountains the lower timber belt occupies the plane between 2,375 and 2,750 meters (7,800 and 9,000 feet) aud consists chiefly of Pseudotsuga douglasii and Pinus murrayana mixed with a variable quantity of Picea alba. Small groves of Pojndus tremuloides are scattered here aud there, usually occupying drier situations than those in which the conifers thrive best. Among the small plants of this zone are Pyrola secunda, Rubus nutlcanus, R. strigosus, Vaccinium microphyllum, Arctostaphylos uva ursi, aud at least three species of Ribes, one related to R. flori- dum, one to R. cereum, and one to R. irriguum. Potentilla fruticosa is abundant along the lower part of the zone, but is equally abundant in parts of the neutral zone below. Frogs (Rana pretiosa) were com- .12 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. inon in the marshes; and a Garter Snake (Eutainia vagrans) was col- lected. Among the birds that breed in the Canadian Zone arc : Tardus audu- boni, Begulus calendula, Parus gambeli, Sialia arctica, iSitta canadensis, Perisoreus canadensis capitalist Cyanocittastelleri annectens, Spinus pinus, Dendroica auduboni, Pendragapus obseurus richardsoni, Bonasa umbellus togata, and Bubo virginianas saturatus. The characteristic mammals are Neosorex, Evotomys, and Zapus. Many others are common to this and the Hudsonian Zone, as the Bears, Wolverine, Marten, Fisher, Weasel, Shrews, Arvicolas, Richardson's Squirrel, Gray Ground Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, Chipmunk, Porcupine, Snow-shoe Rabbit, Moose, and Black- tailed Deer. LITTLE LOST RIVER VALLEY. The next valley west of and nearly parallel to Birch Creek is that of Little Lost River. It is about 70 kilometers (43 miles) in length by 13 to 1G kilometers (8 or 10 miles) in average breadth, and is walled in on both sides by high mountains — the Salmon River Mountains on the east and a nameless range on the west, the former separating it from Birch Creek Valley, the latter from Big Lost Valley. The tongue of the Sonoran Zone which extends up the valley of Lit- tle Lost River from the Snake Plains reaches about 5 kilometers (3 miles) north of the ranch where the post-office of Clyde is now located, and is characterized by the presence of the species mentioned as occu- pying the same level in the valley of Birch Creek. The head of Little Lost Valley expands into a springy basin, into which a spur of the Sal- mon River Mountains projects from the north. Little Lost River heads northeast of this spur, while to the northwest alow pass (2,050 meters or 6,700 feet) connects directly with the head of the Pahsimeroi Valley. Tbe pass is grassy and fed by many springs, most of which are sur- rounded by clumps of willows. Artemisia trifida is the prevailing sage here. PAHSIMEROI VALLEY. A small stream ('Bullberg Creek') trickles down the northwest side of the pass over the divide between the valley of Little Lost River aud that of the Pahsimeroi. This stream joins the Pahsimeroi, which in turn empties into Salmon River. The axis of Pahsimeroi Valley is more nearly east and west than indicated on the Land Office and other maps (which represent it as nearly north and south). The valley is about 70 kilometers (43 miles) in length and is narrowly wedge-shaped, the base of the wedge being at the head of the valley, which is about 24 kilome- ters (15 miles) in width, while the apex (at the junction with Salmon River) is only 2 or 3 kilometers (1 or 2 miles) across. It is hemmed in on all sides by high mountains, the highest of which feed and protect the headwaters of the Pahsimeroi. Just west of this cluster of lofty July, 1891] BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 13 peaks is a pass leading south to ; Thousand Spring' Valley, on Big Lost River. A conspicuous band of timber stretches along the mountains on the north side of the valley, but does not come down within 300 meters (1,000 feet) of the plain ; above it the bare rocky summits project from 300 to GOO meters (1,000 to 2,000 feet). About the middle of the valley on the south side (the northeast or cold slope) is a springy marsh covered with scattering Douglas fir and aspen. The bottom of the valley slopes rather steeply to the river, and the Sonoran zone runs up its full length to within about 5 kilometers (3 miles) of the divide, where it stops at an altitude of about 1,950 meters (0,400 feet). The altitude of the junction of the Pahsimeroi with the Salmon is about 1,400 meters (4,000 feet). The valley is covered with sage brush (Artemisia tridentata), mixed with grease woods (Sarcobatus vermiculatus and Atriplex confertifolia), with a sprinkling of Tetradymia caneseens and Opitntia. Some of the fields of Atriplex are miles in extent, rivaling those near the sink of Little Lost River.* Pocket mice (Perognathus olivaceus) are common on the gravel benches; the Great Basin Chipmunk (Tamias minimus pictus) is abundant everywhere, and not less than four strongly marked species of rabbits inhabit the valley, namely, Lepus texianm, L. campestris, L. sylvatieus nuttalli, and the new L. iclahoensis, the type of which was caught on the upper part of Pahsimeroi River, near the great bend. Still another species (L. bairdi) lives in the adjacent mountains. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are very common, and many were seen in the daytime sneaking along the edge of the willows, hunting for rabbits. Badgers abound throughout the valley, and io some places the large circular disks of pebbles which still remain to mark their former diggings are so numerous as to cover almost as much ground as the spaces between them. Sage Hens in large tiocks were seeu at the head of the valley ; Magpies, Bre-wer's Blackbirds, Horned Larks, Meadowlarks, Sparrow Hawks, and Vesper Sparrows were common ; a few Turkey Vultures and Mourning Doves were seen, and Green-winged Teal, Marsh Hawks, and King- fishers were common along the river. A single White-rumped Shrike was observed. At the time of our visit, September 12 to 18, the lower part of the Pahsimeroi River, which averages about 15 meters (50 feet) in width and two-thirds of a meter (2 feet) in depth, was full of large Salmon (prob- ably Oncorhynchns chouicha), still working upstream. Many of them were bruised, others were in excellent condition, and I never saw a liner * Iu descending the Pahsimeroi Valley we passed through a tract of Atriplex con- fcrlifulia at least 13 kilometers (8 miles) in length. Both this species and Tetradymia caneacena are excellent examples of 'social' plants, each covering large areas, often hundreds or even thousands of acres iu extent, to the exclusion of most other forms of vegetation, and ending abruptly with a sharp line of demarcation. In other places they associate together and are mixed with sage-brush (Artemisia tridentata) and Sarcobatus vermieulatua. The latter species also is a 'social' plant, hut was uot ob- served in such large patches. 14 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. Salmon than one we took for our own use. It weighed about 18 kilo- grams (40 pounds) and measured l,170mm (46 inches) in length by 610mm (2 feet) in girth ; its flesh was hard and delicious. PAIISIMEROI MOUNTAINS. This name is here applied for the first time to a group of lofty, rugged, snow-marbled peaks, arranged in the form of a double or triple amphi- theater, surrounding the sources of the Pahsimeroi River, and about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of the pass between the Little Lost and Pahsimeroi Valleys. On the south these same mountains face 'Thou- sand Spring Valley,' which is an offshoot from Big Lost River Valley. There are two main amphitheaters, facing each other obliquely and feeding the two principal heads of the Pahsimeroi — an east and a west, of which the latter is the larger. The two forks unite to form the Pah- simeroi proper, which flows north about 19 kilometers (12 miles) through a nearly straight, terraced caiion, so deep that the trees bordering the river do not reach halfway to the top, and then bends abruptly to the west, soon taking the course of the main valley. The west fork forks again, and successions of beautiful cascades adorn both branches. On one of these I found a family of Water Ouzels and discovered their large nest of moss in a niche in the rock. The level stretches along both forks are bordered b3r broad thickets of willows, which shelter many Snow- shoe Rabbits; and the woody Potentilla fruticosa grows profusely along the lower border of the timber, where it is associated with Frasera speciosa. The bleak rocky summits of the mountains, the home of many Mountain Sheep, rise nearly 900 meters (3,000 feet) above timber line, and their precipitous north slopes are marked by enormous banks of perpetual snow. Lower down are dark coniferous forests abounding in Elk and Black-tailed Deer ; and below these still are thickets of moun- tain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius). The prevailing timber is Pseu- dotsuga douglasii, Pinus murrayana, and Picea alba, with Pinus albicaulis, and Abies subalpina occupying the higher elevations and reaching tim- ber line. Pinus flexUis grows sparingly in some places, and Populus tremuloides occurs with the Douglas fir below. These forests fairly swarmed with Squirrels {Sciurus richardsoni) and Chipmunks (Tamias quadrivittatus amcenus) at the time of our visit (September 13-1G). Beaver were common in the streams, and small herds of Antelope grazed over the non-forested hills. Bleaching skulls and skeletons of the Buf- falo attested the former presence of this nearly extinct species. Burrows of Spermophiles and Marmots (Arctomys) were found, but the inhabi- tants had gone into winter quarters. Colonies of Pikas (Lagomys prin- ceps) dwelt in the rock slides high up, and two new species of Arvicola were abundant in the springy meadows at and below timber line — one a huge species (A, macropus), the largest yet found in America except Arvicola (Neo fiber) alleni of Florida; the other a very small species {A. nanus), A single Shrew was secured (Sorcw vagrant similis). Blue July, 1801] BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 15 Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus richardsoni) were common iu the forests and willow thickets; Clark's Crows (Picicorvus columbiauus) andTown- send's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) were numerous in the higher levels, and both species of Eegulus were observed. Zonotrichia leuco- phrys aud Melospiza lincolni were killed in the willow thickets, and sev- eral Kingfishers were seen along the streams. ROUND OR CHALLIS VALLEY. Round or Challis Valley occupies both sides of Salmon River, and is about 13 kilometers (8 miles) long and 9 kilometers (5£ miles) broad. It is surrounded by low, rounded mountains, and is continuous to the north- ward with the narrow valley of Salmon River, and to the southeast with Antelope Valley. Late as was the time of our visit (September 18-21) we found a beautiful Mai vast rum in flower near the river. Other char- acteristic Souoran plants growing in great abundance in the valley are Atriplex confertifolia, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, aud Eurotia lanata. Sage brush (Artemisia tridentata) is the prevailing plant at all levels. Kan- garoo Rats and Pocket Mice are commou, and both White and Black Tailed Jack Rabbits were seen. Muskrats and Ducks abound in the sloughs of the river; Wood Rats inhabit the cliffs on its east bank, White-footed Mice swarm in the willow thickets, and two kinds of Arvicolas are common iu the grassy bottoms. Several Fishhawks and Kingfishers, many Magpies and Crows, a few Turkey Buzzards, a Great Blue Heron, a Jack Snipe, and a Gull were noted along the river ; aud large flocks of Titlarks abounded throughout the valley. Several Garter Snakes (Eutainia vagrans) were found in the water in small, cold streams emptying into Salmon River a few miles north of Round Valley. ANTELOPE VALLEY. Antelope Valley (altitude about 1,850 meters or 0,100 feet) is about 10 kilometers (0 miles) long by G kilometers (3i miles) broad, with the longest axis nearly north and south, and is continuous with Challis Valley on the north. Its eastern boundary is a high rocky range rising sharply from the plain and culminating in a single lofty ridge, not broken into separate peaks. It is an ideal 'mountain wall.' On the west the mountains are rounded and grassy, and are not so high. The bottom of the valley is sandy, aud in it were noticed numerous bur- rows of Kangaroo Rats. Atriplex confertifolia aud Eurotia lanata were conspicuous plants. Antelope Valley is separated from the valley of Big Lost River by a divide about 2,225 meters (7,300 feet) in altitude at the lowest point. UTG LOST RIVER VALLEY. The valley of Big Lost River is the largest of the three parallel val- leys which penetrate the roouutaius of east-central Idaho from the sage 16 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. plains of Snake River, aud the river from which it takes its name is larger than the other two together. The valley is about SO kilometers (50 miles) long and ends in a broad, triaugular basin, with the river flowiug along its south side and bordered by trees. The west side of this basin is crescent-shaped, the south horn of the crescent curving westward to the narrow valley of the upper part of the river, the north arm containing 'Thousand Spring Valley' and Willow Creek, and connecting by a pass 2,225 meters (7,300 feet) in altitude with Antelope Valley, and thence with Salmon River at Round or Challis Valley. The Sonorau zone occupies the main part of Big Lost Valley aud of Ante- lope aud Challis Valleys. Above 'Thousand Spring Valley ' Big Lost River flows through a narrow valley or cafiou, with mountains close by on both sides. Through the gaps on the south side rugged, snow- capped peaks appear. A large branch rises in these mountains. The headwaters of Big Lost River are separated from those of Trail Creek by a divide more thau 2,440 meters (8,000 feet) in altitude at the lowest pass and with much snow in the canons on both sides. Tbe divide is covered by a forest of Pinus murrayana, with a few scattering trees of Pseudotsuga douglasii and Picea alba. Here we found the Moose Bird or Canada Jay, Clark's Crows, and many Richardson's Squirrels and Snowshoe Rabbits. In the rock slides were colonies of Pikas (Lago- mys) and Gray Ground Squirrels (Tamias cinerascens). The descent to the valley of Trail Creek is precipitous. Though the date of our crossing was near the end of the hot season (September 23), several snowdrifts 9 meters (30 feet) in depth were found, and three extensive snow-bridges were observed. These are the remains of huge avalanches, and hundreds of large trees were seen which had beeu snapped off or torn up by the roots and carried into the bottoms of the valleys. Trail Creek Valley contains the largest groves of poplars met with during the season. VALLEY OF THE BIG WOOD RIVER. Wood River rises in high mountains only a few miles distant from the ultimate sources of Salmon River, from which it is separated by a divide, the lowest pass in which is 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) in altitude. For many miles it flows through a narrow valley with high mountains on both sides, and with Douglas fir and Murray pine growing down to the lowest levels. It was here that a colony of Lagomys was found in a rock slide as low as 2,250 meters (7,400 feet), and Sorex, Neosorex, and Arvicola were caught in the marshy bottoms. A little lower down the river is bordered with groves of aspens (Populus tremuloides) andcotton- woods (P. balsamifera) alternating with extended stretches of willow thickets. On reaching the neighborhood of the town of Hailey the valley begins to widen and the mountains become lower. A few miles below it spreads out into the sage plains, the mountains disappear altogether, and the river changes its name to Big Wood or Malade. July, 1891.] BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 17 This river, and Little Wood which finally empties into it, are the first streams west of Heury Fork, 210 kilometers (150 miles) distant, which succeed in crossing the arid Snake Plains from the north and actually reach Snake River. VALLEY AT THE HEAD OF SALMON RIVER. The valley at the head of Salmon River is a sage-covered basin about 12 kilometers (7£ miles) in width between the Saw Tooth Mountains on the west and a nameless range on the east. It extends in a north aud south direction from the sources of Salmon River in northern Alturas County to Stanley Basin in western Custer County, and is about 2,135 meters (7,000 feet) in altitude. The Sage Chipmunk (Tamias minimus pictus) is common iu the valley, and Sage Hens (Ceiitrocercus uropha- sianu.s), Horned Larks (Otocoris aipestris arenicola), Titlarks (Anthus pensilvanicw). and Meadowlarks [Sturnella neglecta) were seen there early iu October. The head of Salmon River is separated from the headwaters of Wood River by a divide 2,745 meters (9,000 bet) in alti- tude at its lowest pass. Forests of Murray pine aud Douglas fir come down to the level of the valley on the west side. SAW TOOTH MOUNTAINS. The Saw Tooth Mountains form the western bouudary of the valley of the upper part of Salmon River. They are covered with coniferous forests from the very base on the east side to timber line. The princi- pal trees are Douglas fir and Murray pine below, and Pinus albicaulis and Abies subalpina above, mixed with Picea engelmanni and P. alba. The peaks are rocky and jagged, but not so high as those of the Salmon River and Pahsiuieroi Mountains. At the east foot of the range are sev- eral lakes, known collectively as the 'Red Fish Lakes' because inhab- ited by a bright red Salmon called Nerka (Oncorhynchus nerka). One of these, Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake, is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) in length by 2 (a little over a mile) in breadth, and is surrounded by forests of Murray pine with here and there a little Douglas fir. It lies between two spurs of the mountains and is about 2,200 meters (7,200 feet) in alti- tude. There is a tine sand beach at the head (west end) of the lake, bordered by a narrow strip of Murray pine, behind which is an exten- sive willow marsh dotted with clumps of pine and fir. The narrow valleys and canons west of the lake were almost impass- able at the time of our visit because of the fallen timber brought down by avalanches during the heavy snows of the previous winter (win- ter of 18S9-'90). As a rule each avalanche takes all the trees in its path, tearing them up by the roots on the higher mountain sides and snapping off their trunks where the snow is drifted in the hollows, car- rying them down into the valleys below and piling them up in wild confu- sion. In several instances these snow slides not only swept completely L'0789— No. 5 2 18 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. across the bottoms of the valleys, but rushed up the opposite sides to a height of 200 meters (650 feet) aud deposited there the ruins of the for- ests they had destroyed. Miles and miles of the torn and shattered trunks of trees fill the valleys and caiions, and ages may pass before the barren mountain sides regain a forest covering. Along the outlet of the lake are several large flats or parks, some of which are covered with grass, others with sage brush. Near the lake a blue gentian (Gentiana affinis) was in flower, and Potentilla fruticosa was abundant (a few still in flower). Rubus nutkanus was common in the forest, as were two species of currant (Ribes), one having bright red berries; and service berries (Amelanchier alnifolia), some of exception- ally large size, were found in places. High up in the mountains near the snow were large beds of the handsome purple Pentstemon MngU in full bloom ; and also beds of a yellow Eriogonum, and a few stems of a beautiful bright red Gilia related to G. aggregata. Frogs (Rana pre- tiosa) were common in the marshes. Lynxes, Foxes, Badgers, Black-tailed Deer, Bears, Wolverines, Fish- ers, Martens, Weasels, Porcupines, Snow-shoe Babbits, and Flying Squirrels inhabit the forests about the lake; Otters, Mink, and Musk- rats live along the shores, Beavers in the mountain streams ; Red Squir- rels and Chipmunks were extraordinarily abundant everywhere, and Pocket Gophers were common in the parks. Numerous burrows of Spermophiles and the Gray Ground Squirrel were observed, but the season was so late that the animals had gone into winter quarters. The marshes and grassy places are inhabited by a water shrew (Neosorex pal- ustris), two small shrews (Sorex idahoensis and S. dobsoni, both new), and two new species of Arvicola (A. mordax and A. macropns). White- footed Mice (Hesperomys leucopus) abound in all sorts of places ; a new species of Ked-backed Mouse (Evotomys idahoensis) lives under rotten logs in the woods, and a new Lemming Mouse (Phenacomys orophilus) makes its home high up in the mountains. Elk roam through the most inaccessible parts of the forests, and are said to be common about the sources of the Payette. Mountain Goats are common and Sheep less common on the summits of the range, where Pikas (Lagomys princeps) inhabit the rock slides, and Marmots (Arctomys sp. ?) have their dens. The following meat-eating birds were caught in traps set for Martens (baited with chipmunks, squirrels, aud birds) : One Goshawk ( Accip- iteratricapillus), one Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus saturatus), three Clark's Crows (Picicorvus colwnbianus), six Rocky Mountain Jays (Per- isoreus canadensis capitalis), and four Magpies ( Pica pica hudsonica). We were surprised to find the latter species remaining about camp after the ground was covered with snow. A flock of Robins was seen several times in the pines at the head of the lake, but left with the appear- ance of snow. An adult Bald Eagle was seen at the same place Octo- ber 1. Great Horned Owls were heard hooting every night, and one was caught in a steel trap baited with the head and wings of a duck. Its July, 1891.] BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 19 stomach contained two Pocket Gophers, one White-footed Mouse, one Arvicola, and one new species of Lemming Mouse (Phenacomys orophilus). LIST OF BIRDS NOTED IN THE SAW TOOTH MOUNTAINS, AT OR NEAR SAW TOOTH OR AL- TURAS LAKE, SEPTEMBER 25 TO OCTOBER 4, 1890. Colymbus auritus. Horned Grebe. Abundant on the lake; several killed; at least a hundred seen in one clay. Urinator imber. Loon. One seen on the lake near camp October 2. Merganser serrator. Red-breasted Merganser. Several small flocks seen on the lake. Anas boschas. Mallard. Common in flocks on the lake ; six killed. Anas americana. Baldpate. Two shot on the lake. Anas discors. Blue winged Teal. Two shot on the lake. Aythya americana. Redhead. One shot on the lake. Grus mexicana. Sandhill Crane. Several Sandhill Cranes were heard on the big meadow below the lake. Fulica americana. Coot ; Mud-hen. Two shot on the lake. Dendragapus obscurus richardsoni. Richardson's Grouse. A flock of about forty seen. Dendragapus franklini. Franklin's Grouse. Said to be tolerably common. Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. One seen near the lake. Accipiter velox. Sliarp-shiuned Hawk. Oue seen. Accipiter atricaplllus. Goshawk. An adult male shot and an immature bird caught in a marten trap. Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Bald Eagle. A fine adult was seen near camp at the head of the lake October 1. Pandion carolinensis. Fish Hawk ; Osprey. Seen several times before the snow storm. Bubo virginianus saturatus. Dusky Horned Owl. One caught in trap and others heard. Ceryle alcyon. Kingfisher. Common. Dryobates villosus hyloscopus. Cabanis's Woodpecker. Common at foot of lake. Picoides arcticus. Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. One shot at foot of lake, 20 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA, (No. 5. Golaptes cafer. Red- shafted Flicker. Several seen. Pica pica hudsonica. Magpie. Common about the head of the lake. Four caught in marten traps. Cyanocitta stelleri armectens. Black-headed Jay. Three seen, of which two were shot. Perisoreus canadensis capitalis. Rocky Mountain Jay. Common. Half a dozen caught in marten traps. Corvus americanus. Crow. Several seeu about the head of the lake before the storm. Picicorvus columbianus. Clark's Crow. Common in the mountains. Three caught in marten traps. Spinus pinus. Pine Siskin. Heard several times. Zonotrichia intermedia. Intermediate Sparrow. Abundant in bushes everywhere. Spizella socialis arizonse. Western Chipping Sparrow. One shot at head of lake. Junco hyemalis shufeldti. Rocky Mountain J unco. Common. Junco annectens. Pink-sided Junco. Common. Melospiza lincolni. Lincoln's Sparrow. One caught in an Arvicola trap. Dendroica auduboni. Audubon's Warbler. Several seen. Anthus pensilvanicus. Titlark. A few seen. Common in the sage parks below the lake. Cinclus mexicanus. Ouzel; Dipper. Two seen — one running along the sand beach at head of lake. Troglodytes hiemalis. Winter Wren. One seen. Certhia familiaris montana. Rocky Mountain Creeper. One shot and several seen. Sitta carolinensis aculeata. Slender-billed Nuthatch. One seen. Parus gambeli. Mountain Chickadee. Common. Regulus satrapa. Golden-crowned Kinglet. Seen several times. Regulus calendula. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. A few seen. Merula migratoria propinqua. Western Robin. A flock staid about the head of the lake before the storm. Sialia arctica. Mountain Bluebird. Small flocks seeu at foot of lake. JuLY,i8Ji.j BIOLOGICAL RECOttNOlSSANCE OF IDAHO. 21 BRUNNEAU MOUNTAINS. This name is applied to an unmapped* range of mountains on or near the boundary between Owyhee County, Idaho, and Elko County, Ne- vada. The general coarse of the range is ENE. by WSW. On the Idaho side it rises abruptly from the plain (base level about 1,850 me- ters, or 6,000 feet), and its highest peaks, which are near the headwaters of the Brunneau River, attain an altitude of 3,350 to 3,650 meters (11,000 or 12,000 feet). The altitude of the lowest pass is about 2,600 meters (8,500 feet). Many deep canons come out of these mountains and reach far into the Snake Plains. At the time of our visit the range was entirely covered with snow. Ranchmen living along the Brunneau River know the western part of these mountains as the Brunneau Moun- tains. Since the eastern part has no name, the whole range is here called the Brunneau Range.' The mountains are chiefly bare, particu- larly on the Nevada side, though there are some extensive tracts of coniferous forests and many groves of aspens, below which is consider- able mountain mahogany {Gercocarpus ledif alius). The higher parts of the divide are dotted with large patches of Ceanothus velutinus, an ever- green shrub, whose bright, deep green foliage contrasts handsomely with the snow-covered mountain sides. Elk are said to inhabit these mountains, and we found tracks of Deer, Porcupine, aud Weasel on the snow in a grove of Abies siibalpina on the north side of the pass. Such a storm was raging when we crossed the mountains (October 11) that we saw no birds, aud had great difficulty in finding the way. LIFE ZONES OF IDAHO. It is with considerable reluctance that an attempt is here made to de- tine the Life Zones of Idaho, even in a general way. The fact that I did not reach the tield until the latter part of August, when most of the migratory birds were well on the way south and most of the plants had ceased flowering — if indeed they had not disappeared altogether — coupled with the circumstance that uo means Mere at hand for precise de- termination of altitudes, make the task exceedingly difficult, and it is still further complicated by the etfects of slope exposure and aridity. The limitations of the zones here announced, therefore, and the assignment of species must be regarded as provisional only. The zones recognized are the same as those of San Francisco Mountain, Arizona (defined in North America Fauna, No. 3, pp. 7-13), namely: Arctic Alpine; Sub- Alpine or Timber line; (Central) Hudsouiau or Spruce; (Central) Cana- dian or Douglas fir ; Neutral or Transition; and Upper Sonorau. Of these, the first four belong to the Boreal Province, which in Idaho con- sists of a mixture of species characteristic of the Rocky Mountain and Pacific arms or divisions. * Bonneville's map of 18;57 shows this rauge as part of a range supposed to reach from Wyoming to California. 22 NOETH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. ARCTIC-ALPINE ZONE. (Above timber line.) This zone extends from the upper limit of tree growth to the summits of the highest peaks, and is characterized by the presence of small but often sho wy-flowered Arctic plants. The following species were obtained notwithstanding the lateness of the season : Actinella grandiflora. Geum rossii humile. Anemone baldensis. Oxyriadigyna. Bryantlius taxifolius. Polemonium confertum. Carex j 'estiva. Salix reticulata. Delphinium andersoni. Sibbaldia procumbens. Draba alpina. Silene acaulis. The breeding season of birds was over before the mountains were reached, but young and old Rosy Finches (Leucosticte atrata) were com- mon in small flocks above timber line. The mammals known to inhabit this zone are Lagomys princeps, Arctomys, sp. — '?, Mazama montana, and Ovis canadensis. All of them are found also in the zone below, and consequently are not characteristic. The altitude of timber line varies from about 3,050 meters (10,000 feet) to nearly 3,350 meters (11,000 feet) according to slope-exposure. SUB- ALPINE OR TIMBER-LINE ZONE, (Approximate altitude 3,050 to 3,350 meters, or 10,000 to 11,000 feet). This zone comprises the belt of stunted trees extending from the upper- most limit of tree growth, however depauperate, to the upper limit of full grown, perfect trees; and I am inclined to give it greater vertical range than in my report on San Francisco Mountain in which it was first defined. The dwarf trees which grow in this zone in central Idaho are Abies subalpina and Pinus albicaulis, with an occasional Picea engel- manni. The smaller plants observed are : Agrostis varians. Juniper as communis. Arenaria biflora carnulosa. Pentstemon menziesii. Arenaria congesta subcongesta. Phleum alpinum. Aplopappus lyellii. Potentilla nivea dissecta. Aplopappus suffruticosus. Sedum debile. Aster kingii. Selaginella rupestris. Cheenaotis douglassi alpina. Senecio aureus compact us. Delphinium menziesii. Silene douglassi. Heuchera hallii. Solidago virgaurea alpina. Titlarks (Anthus pensilvanicus) were common at the upper part of this zone and in the zone above. The Mountain Sheep (Ovis canadensis) and Mountain Goat (Mazama montana) probably breed here. The most char- acteristic small mammals are Phenacomys orophilus, Lagomys princeps, and Arctomys, sp. — "? Other species that reach timber line from below are Tamias cinerascens, Tamias quadrivittatus amcenus, Arvicola macro- pus, Neotoma cinerea (not normally ?), Resperomys leucopus, PJrethizon epixanthus, and a weasel provisionally referred to Putorius longicaudus. July, 1891.] LIFE ZONES OF IDAHO, 23 (CENTRAL) HUDSONIAN OR SPRUCE ZONE. (Approximate altitude 2,750 to 3,050 meters, or 9,000 to 10,000 feet.) This zone extends from the lower limit of the Timber-line Zone to the upper border of the Canadian or Douglas fir Zone. Its characteristic trees are Pinus albicaulis and Abies subalpina with here and there Picea engelmanni. Some of the smaller plants are : Astragalus kenlrophyta. Gaultheria niyrsiuites. Calochortus gunnisoni. Hcuchera parcifolia. Calochortus nitidus. Pentslemon kingii. Erigeron compositus trifidus. Saxifrage, bronchialis. Eriogonum ovalifolium. Senecio nanus. Spiraea (Eriogynia) ca'spilosa. Among the birds that breed in the Hudsoniau Zone in Idaho are: Accipiter atricapillus, Bubo virginianus saturatus, Goccothraustes vesper- Una montana, Juiico annectens (?), Myadestes townsendi, Picicorvus colum- bianus, Perisoreus canadensis capitalist and Regulus calendula. Among mammals, Phenacomys orophilus and Lagomys princeps appar- ently find their normal lower limit here. The mammals which are com- mon to this zone and the next below will be mentioned under the latter. (CENTRAL) CANADIAN OR DOUGLAS FIR ZONE. (Approximate altitude 2,300 to 2,750 meters or 7,700 to (J,000 feet.) This zone extends from the lower border of the fludsouiau to the upper border of the Neutral Zone, which latter, in Idaho, consists mainly of sage brush. The characteristic trees of the Canadian Zone are Pseu- dotsuga douglasii&ud Pinus viurrayana, more or less mixed with Picea alba and Populus tremulokles. The low altitude reached by some of these trees in springy bogs and along the courses of streams must not be taken into account in fixing the lower boundary of this zone, for the reason that the water in these mountain springs and streams is very cold, often coming but a short distance from melting snowbanks, con- sequently lowering the temperature of the soil in which the trees are rooted and (by surface evaporation) of the atmosphere to which their foliage is exposed. Among the smaller plants of this zone are : Arctostaphylos uva-nrsi. liibes cereum. Poientilla Jruticosa. Ribee irriguum. Pyrola secunda. Btbea floridum. Eubua nutkanii8. Vaccinium microphyllum. itubus strigosus. Frasera speciosa. Among the characteristic birds are : Tardus auduboni. Dendroica auduboni. J'arus gambeli. Dendragapus obscurus richardsoni. Sialia arctica. Dendragapus franklivi. Sitta canadensis. Bonasa umbellus togata. Cyanocitta stetteri annectens. Jlnbo virginianus saturatus. Spinus pinus. 24 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5, Many mammals inhabit the Douglas fir Zone in Idaho. Those sup- posed to be characteristic are Evotomys idaiwensis, Arvicola mordax>, Zapus hudsonius, Neosorex palustris, Sorex dobsoni, 8. idaiwensis, 8, va- grans similis, but it is by no means certain that they do not range up iuto the Hudsouian. Mammals believed to be common to the Douglas fir and Hudsonian Zones are: Ursus amerieanus. Erethizon epixanthus. Ursus horribilis. Tamias cinerascens. Gulo luscii8. Tamias quadririltatus ainwnus. Mustela pennanti. Sciurus richardsoni, Mustela americana Sciuropterus volans sabrinns. Putorius longicauda. Lepus bairdii. Arvicola macropus. Alee americanus. Arvicola nanus. Cariacus macrotis. Arvicola paiiperrimus was found on dry knolls in this zone, but may more properly belong to the Neutral Zone. Arvicola riparius inhabits wet grassy places in this and the Neutral Zone. NEUTRAL OR TRANSITION ZONE. (Approximate altitude 1,950 to 2,300 meters orG,400 to 7,500 feet.) This zone is notable for what it lacks rather than for what it possesses. Its dominant and omnipresent plant is sage brush (Artemisia tridentata), but sage brush can not be said to be distinctive of the zone, tor it occurs below throughout the Upper Sonoran, and above in the lower part of the Douglas fir Zone, where it occupies the dry barren knolls. The Neutral Zone lacks the trees of the Canadian Zone and the grease- woods of the Sonoran Zone. Its sage plains, therefore, are purer sage than elsewhere, though invaded by a few species from above and below Artemisia trifida and Bigelovia graveolens are common in places, and Frasera speciosa occurs in the foothills of the Pahsimeroi Mountains. Gercocarpus ledifolius begins in this zone and extends up into the zone above. It is common in the foothills of the Pahsimeroi and Brunneau Mountains, but rather rare in the Salmon River Mountains. Potentilla fruticosa is common about springy places in this zone and in the Can- adian or Douglas fir Zone also. If any birds may be said to be characteristic of the Neutral Zone they are the Sage Hen (Gentrocercus urophasianus) and Sharp-tailed Grouse (Pediocwtes phasianellus columbianus). The characteristic mam- mals are believed to be Arvicola pauperrimus, Tamias minimus pictus, Spermophilus elegans, and Neotoma cinerea. Arvicola pauperrimus ranges up over the dry, sage-covered knolls of the lower part of the Canadian Zone, and Tamias minimus pictus follows the sage brush down into the Upper Sonoran Zone. 8permophilus grammurus probably belongs to the Neutral or Transition Zone, but is not widely distributed. Arvicola riparius is common in suitable marshes in this zone but occurs also in the zone above. July, 1891.) FOREST TREES OF MOUNTAINS OF IDAHO* L25 UPPER SONORAN ZONE. (Approximate altitude below 1,950 meters or 6,400 feet.) The ooly part of the great Sonorau or semi-tropical element that reaches Idaho is the upper zone of the Great Plains division of the Sonorau Province. This zone occupies the whole of the Snake Plains proper and extends up to about 1,950 meters (G,100 feet) in the valleys of east-central Idaho. Among its characteristic plants are Atriplex confer ti folia, A. cancscens, A. nuttalUi, Sarcobatus vermicnlatus, TetfU- dymia canescens, a Malvastrum, a cactus, and perhaps Eurotia Janata also. Other plants found in this zone in September and October were Uriogonum cernuum tenue, Oryzopsis cuspidata, Iva axillaris, and Bige- lovia douglassii, B. tortifolia, B. stenophylla, and B. latifolia. Since these Bigelovias were found growing together near Shoshone they must be distinct species or have no rank at all. Its characteristic mammals are a Kangaroo Eat {Bipodops ordii),. Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys brevicaudus), Pocket Mouse {Pero- gnathus olivaceus), Sage Chipmunk (Tamias minimus pictus), Townsend's Spermophile {tipermophilus townsendi), and the Idaho Rabbit (Lepns idahoensis), though the three last-mentioned species range a little higher than the limit here assigned to the zone.* The Black-tailed Jack Rabbit (Lepus texianus) may belong to this zone. The characteristic birds are the Sage Sparrow (Ampliisjiiza belli nevadensis), Brewer's Sparrow {Spizella brewer i), and Sage Thrasher (Oroscoptes montanw). Horned Larks (Otocoris alpestris arenicola) are common, but occur higher up than the true Sonorau, as is the case with the Burrowing Owl and White-rumped Shrike, which species were rarely seen in the region traversed. FOREST TREES OF THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL IDAHO. All the forests explored are coniferous, the only deciduous trees met with being the Aspen (Populus tremuloides), one or two species of Cot- tonwoods (chiefly Populus balsamifera) which grow in the bottoms along the streams, and the Western Birch (lietula occidental) which hardly attains sufficient height to be ranked as a tree. Junipers were not found except on the extreme southern spur of the mountains between Big and Little Lost River Valleys, and in the lava canon of Snake River.* The coniferous forests which clothe the sides of the mountains every- where from an altitude of 2,450 meters (8,000 feet) or less to timber line (3,050 to 3,350 meters or 10,000 to 11,000 feet) are divided into two zones, an upper and a lower, which meet and overlap at an elevation of about 2,750 meters (0,000 feet). The characteristic trees of the lower zone are the Douglas Fir ( Pseudotsuga douglasii) and Murray Pine [Pinus murray- ana). Those of the upper zone are Alpine Fir (.1 hies subalpina), White- bark Pine (I'inus albicaulis), and Picea engebnanni. Picea alba is found "A Bpecimen from Shoshone Falls in tho Suake River CaQou is identified by Mr. Holzinger as Juniperm virginiana. 26 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. scattered through the forest at different elevations, but does not reach timber line. Pseudotsuga douglasii Carriere. Douglas Fir. Douglas Fir is the prevailing tree of the lower or Canadian timber zone throughout most of the mountains and is commonly associated with Pinus murrayana. On the east side of the Salmon River Range it begins at an elevation of 2,300 to 2,400 meters (7,500 to 7,900 feet) and runs up to a little above 2,750 meters (9,000 feet). Along some of the mountain streams it descends lower into the valleys. Its maximum of development is attained at an altitude of about 2,450 meters (8,000 feet). Here I measured one tree which 2 meters above ground was more than 5 meters (16£ feet) in circumference and about 27 meters (90 feet) in height ; another tree in the same neighborhood was 4£ meters (nearly 15 feet) in circumference, 2 meters above the ground, and 24 meters (nearly 80 feet) in height. Many others were nearly as large. Pinus murrayana Balfour. Murray Piue ; Black Pine. Murray Pine is common throughout the Douglas fir or lower timber zone, and in some places is the prevailing tree. This is notably the case in the Saw Tooth Mountains, on the east side of which it extends from an altitude of 2,150 meters (a little over 7,000 feet) up to about 2,750 meters (9,000 feet). In the Salmon River and Pahsimeroi Moun- tains it forms large forests alternating or mixed with those of Douglas Fir. It rarely exceeds 300 millimeters (1 foot) in diameter. The branches of this pine are thickly beset with small cones that do not fall off when mature. Pinus albicaulis Engelruaun. White-bark Piue. This singular pine is the dominant tree of the Hudsonian or upper timber zone in the Salmon River, Pahsimeroi, and Saw Tooth Moun- tains, where it grows from below 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) up to timber line. In many places it forms extensive belts in which no other trees occur ; in other places it is associated with Abies subalpina and Picea engelmanni. On some of the spurs of the Salmon River Mountains Pinus albicaulis covers the northeastern slopes while Abies subalpina covers the adjacent southeastern slopes. Though not a botanist, I am tempted to express the conviction that Pinus albicaulis is a perfectly good species, and not a form of Pinus flexilis as commonly stated in the books. Its heavy, rounded, purple cones with thick scales firmly glued together,* its peculiar bark, and even its habit of growth — the trunk splitting up near the ground into several parts of nearly equal size — serve to distinguish it at a glance from any other pine known to me. Pinus flexilis Linnaeus. White Pine. Not common in the region traversed; grows sparingly in the Pahsi- meroi Mountains. "A figure of one of these cones may be found in the article on Richardson's Squir- rel, p. 49. July, 1891.] BIOLOGICAL RECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 27 Abies subalpina Eugeluiauu. Sub-Alpiue Fir. The Sub-Alpiue fir is common in the Hudsoniau or upper timber zone of the mountains of south-central Idaho, ranging from an altitude of about 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) to timber line. It is sometimes associated with Pinus albicaulis and Picea engelmanni ; in other places it forms small forests alone. Picea engelmanni (Parry). Engelmann's Spruce. Tolerably common in the upper timber zone and usually associated with Abies subalpina. Picea alba Poiret. White Spruce. The spruce provisionally referred to this species is tolerably common throughout the lower timber zone of the mountains visited. It does not form extensive forests, but is scattered through forests of other conifers, chiefly Douglas fir. Professor Sargent, who has examined cones collected by us in the Salmon River Mountains, informs me that the tree is in some respects intermediate between Picea alba and P. engelmanni. Populus tremuloides Michaux. Aspen. This tree, which is commonly known in the West by the name of quakeuasp, aspen, or popple, occurs along many of the streams in the bottoms, and forms groves and thickets on the sides of the mountains. Populus balsamifera Liumeus. Balsam Poplar. Common in some of the bottoms, particularly along Big Wood River, where it grows to be the largest deciduous tree observed by us in Idaho. MOLLUSCS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL IDAHO. The following species were collected by us and have been identified by Dr. R. E. C. Stearns : Helix (Patula) hemphilli Newc. Needle Peak, Lost River Mountains. Limnaea lepida Gould. Salmon River near Challis. Limnaea palustris Mull. Salmon River near Challis; also Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake. Limnaea adelinae Tryon. Salmon River near Challis. Planorbis trivolvis Say. Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake. Physa heteiostropha Say. Birch Creek. Fluminicola nuttalliana Lea. Salmon River near Challis ; and warm springs in Snake River Canon near Shoshone Falls. 28 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. EFFECTS OF WATER- COURSES ON THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES. Mountain streams, in passing down into the plains, exert a twofold influence on the distribution of animals and plants. By their constant efforts to reach base level, these streams are continually cutting down and lengthening the valleys in such a way as to produce gradually sloping bottom lands, which penetrate the highlands from the plain below, carrying with them narrow prolongations or tongues of the fauna and flora of lower levels, which follow the contour lines in a general way. The second effect mentioned is of an exactly opposite character. The low temperature of the water, coming from melting snow-banks or cold springs in the mountains, lowers the temperature of the soil support- ing the vegetation on its immediate banks, while the evaporation from its surface cools the air to which the foliage of such vegetation is ex- posed, thus bringing the northern or higher fauna and flora down along the immediate course of the stream. The length of the stream and steepness of the slope determine whether the first or second effect is most pronounced. Eivers having long courses over the plains, such as the Missouri and Platte, become so thoroughly warmed during their long journey that the second effect is inappreciable, while the first is very strongly marked, southern forms of life ascending these valleys a hundred kilometers or more beyond their usual limit. Short streams, on the other hand, and particularly those that head in mountains and have rapid courses, carry northern forms many kilometers below their normal limit, but do not afford the same facility for the northward extension of southern forms. Streams of intermediate character (in the respects indicated) present intermediate conditions, and where the two types balance, the northward (or up- ward) and southward (or downward) extensions of the life zones are of equal length, the latter inclosing the former like the involuted finger of a glove. ORIGIN OF THE NAME 'MARKET LAKE.' Governor Isaac I. Stevens, in his narrative of the Pacific Railroad sur- veys carried on under his direction in 1853, makes the following inter- esting statement concerning the place known as Market Lake, which, it may be added, is now dry and occupied by ranches. Governor Stevens says: " In years past the bed of this lake was an immense prairie bottom or basin, and a favorite resort for game of all kinds ; even, indeed, the buffalo have been killed in and near it in large numbers, the evidences of which were shown by the skulls of the animals found near the pres- ent border of the lake. "So abundant, indeed, was the game here that the trappers and moun- tain men of that day, who in squads and bauds trapped and hunted in July, 1801.] BIOLOGICAL KECONNOISSANCE OF IDAHO. 29 this wilderness of mountains, always said to each other, when their supply of subsistence grew scanty, ' Let us go to the market,' referring to this resort of the herds of game ; and they never visited it in vain until, by one of those strange freaks of nature in this valley of the Snake River, which is fed at many points throughout its length by subterra- nean streams, this market was converted into an immense sheet of water. It is only accounted for by supposing that the streams making down from the Snake River Mouutaius and losing themselves in the sand or sage desert of the valley, break forth at or near the latter, which is thus fed from year to year by the meltings of the snows and the rains from those mountains. In order, therefore, to retain and hand down the name of this once favorite resort, and the legend couuected with it, Lieutenant Mullan named this sheet of water the Market Lake. "Traveling along the bauks of this lake for 8 miles, he left it, aud in a short time fell upon the maiu stream of Snake River, which was from 150 to 200 yards wide and very deep, with high clay banks on either side, and bordered with a slight growth of willow." (Pacific R. R. Rept., vol. xii, Book 1, 1800, p. 170.) MAMMALS OF IDAHO. Idaho presents great diversity of physical features, comprising immense coniferous forests, ranges of lofty, rugged mountains, fertile, grassy valleys, arid sagebrush plains, and alkali deserts, and it is about equally divided between the Boreal and Sonorau Life Zones. Its mammal fauna is correspondingly rich and varied. Sixty-seven species and subspecies of mammals are now known from the State and the number will be increased by future explorations. The principal addi- tions are likely to come from the bats and arvicoline mice, and except in so far as the former group is concerned, the numerical relations of the several families are not likely to be disturbed ; hence a statement of the number of genera and species in each may be of interest. For convenience, subspecies are here treated as species. The boreal group Mustelidce leads in genera but not in species, having 8 genera and 9 species. The family Muridce comes next in number of genera and out- ranks the Mustelidce in species, having 7 genera and 13 species, and the number of species is likely to be slightly increased. The Sciuridce is represented by 5 genera and 10 species ; the Cervldce by 4 genera and 5 species; the Bovidw by 4 genera and 4 species ; the Ganidw by 2 gen- era and 3 specieo ; the Felidcv by 2 genera and 2 species, the Soricidw and Leporidce each by 1 genus and 4 species; the Saccomyida- by 2 genera and 2 species ; the Geomyidcc by 1 genus and 2 species ; the Ursidcc by 1 genus and 2 species ; and the following families by 1 genus and 1 species each : Hystricida', Zapodidcc, Lagomyidw, Castoridw, Procy- onidw. The Vcspcrtilionidw is probably represented by 3 genera and 4 or 5 species. The genera most largely represented in species are : Arvicola, 5 ; Spermophilus, 4 ; Lepus, 4 ; Sorex, 4 ; Tamias, 3. JSo other genus has more than 2 species. CHECK LIST OF SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES. 1. Sorex idahoensis sp. nov. 2. Sorex dobsoni sp. nov. 3. Sorex vagrans similis snbsp. nov. 4. Sorex palustris Richardson. 5. Vespertilio nitidus H. Allen. 6. Arctomijs sp. ? 7. Spermophilus columbianua (Ord). 8. SpermophiliiH armatus Kennicott. D. Spermophilus elegana Kennicott. 10. Spermophilus townsendi Bachman. 11. Tamias cinerasccm Merriam. 12. Tamias quadHvittatua amcenus J. A. Allen. 13. Tamias minimus pictus J. A. Allen. 14. Scinrits richardsoni Bachman. 15. Sciuroplerus volans sabrinus (Shaw). 16. Castor canadensis Kuhl. 17. Onychomys leucogaster brevicaudus snbsp. nov. 18. Iltspcromys crinitus sp. nov. 31 32 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. CHECK LIST OF SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES — continued. 19. Hesperomysleucopus (Rafinesque). 20. Neotomacinerea (Orel). 21. Neotomacinerea occidental-is Baird. 22. Arvicola riparius Ord. 23. Arvicola macropus sp. nov. 24. Arvicola mordax sp. nov. 25. Arvicola nanus sp. nov. 26. Arvicola pauptrrimus Cooper. 27. Phenacomys oropldlus sp. nov. 28. Evotomys idahoensis sp. nov. 29. Fiber zibet liivus (Linnaeus). 30. Thomomys clusius Coues. 31. Thomomys clusius fuscus subsp. nov. 32. Dipodops ordii Woodhouse. 33. Perognathus olivacens Merriam. 34. Eretliizon epixanthus Brandt. 35. Zapus liudsonius (Zimmermann). 36. Lugomys princeps Richardson. 37. Lepus idahoensis sp. nov. 38. Lepus sylvaticus nuttalli Bachman. 39. Lepus texianus Woodhouse. 40. Lepus campestris Bachtnau. 41. Lepus bairdii Hayden. 42. A Ice americanus Jardine. 43. Bangifer caribou (Kerr). 44. Cervus canadensis Erxleben. 45. Cariacus macrotis (Say). 46. Cariacus virginianus macrourus Rafin- esque. 47. Antilocapra americana Ord. 48. Mazama m ontana Rafinesque. 49. Ovis canadensis Shaw. 50. Bison bison (Linnaeus). 51. Felis concolor Linnaeus. 52. Lynx baileyi Merriam. 53. Canis latrans Say. 54. Canis nubilus Say. 55. Yulpes macrourus Baird. 56. Taxidea americana (Boddaert), 57. Mephitis sp. ? 58. Spilogale saxatilis Merriam. 59. Luira hudsonica (Lacepe"de). 60. Mustela americana Turton. 61. Mustela pennanti Erxleben. 62. Gulo luscus (Linnaeus). 63. Lutreola vison (Schreber). 64. Putorius longicauda Bonaparte. 65. Procyon lotor (Linnaeus). 66. Ursus horribilis Ord. 67. Ursus americanus Pallas. ANNOTATED LIST OF THE MAMMALS OF IDAHO, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. Sorex idahoensis sp. nov. Idaho Shrew. This tiny shrew, the smallest of the three here described, is common in the Salmon River Mountains of Idaho, and was found in the Saw Tooth Mountains also. It differs widely from all known species inhab- iting the western United States, as pointed out below. SOREX IDAHOENSIS sp. nov. [Jaws with teeth, PI. IV, Fig. 1.] Type No. ftrttJ 9 ad., U. S. Natioual Museum (Department of Agriculture collec- tion). From Timber Creek, Salmon River Mountains, Idaho, August 26, 1890. Altitude about 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). Collected by C. Hart Mer- riam and Vernon Bailey. (Original number, 1674.) Measurements (taken in flesh). — Total length, 95; tail vertebrae, 40; pencil, 6; hind foot, 12. General characters. — This shrew presents no striking external pecul- iarities. It is about the size of 8. platyrhinus, which seems to be its nearest relative. It has no affinities with 8. personatus or vagrans. Color. — Upper parts dull sepia brown, darkest over the rump; under parts drab-gray, tinged with buffy. Tail bicolor, its upper and lower surfaces concolor with the corresponding surfaces of the body, with a rather long pencil, which is dusky all round. Cranial and Dental characters. — The skull is smaller and lighter than that of 8. personatus. The lateral uuicuspidate teeth decrease in size July, 1891] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 33 uniformly from first to fourth; the fifth is minute but distinctly visible from the outside. This is the only species of 8orex yet described from anywhere west of the Rocky Mountains, so far as I am aware, in which the fourth imicuspid is smaller than the third, in which respect it re- sembles 8. platyrhinus of the Eastern States. An old nursing' female, with much worn teeth (No. fffrf), from the Saw Tooth Mountains, is here referred to this species, but, as pointed out by Dobson, it is exceedingly difficult to determine the species of shrews when the teeth are much worn. Record of specimviui collected of Sorex idahoensis. U. S. National Museum No. o Skin. Skull. "3 a o 23519 30937 IG23 23523 30941 1C24 23521 30u:ju 1G40 23527 30945 -1074 24273 31677 1 1898 Locality. Salmon Eiver Mountains, Idaho . ....do ....do ....do Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho Date. Aug. 23, 1890 ....do Aug. 24, 1890 Aug. 20, 1890 Sept. 28, 1890 S A i- M. a Sex. 6 g o c3 H H cf? 97 42 ?•-- - 97 40 9 94 38 ? 95 40 9 old.. 90 37 11.5 11.5 12 12 12 Type, t Nursing teats : v P 2 _ T ~ Sorex dobsoni sp. nov. Dobson's Shrew. This interesting shrew was captured near Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake at the eastern base of the Saw Tooth Mountains in central Idaho, Octo- ber 3, 1890, at which time the ground was covered with several inches of newly fallen snow. It belongs to the Sorex personatus group, and may be known from the following description : SOREX DOBSONI * sp. uov. [Jaws with teeth, PL IV, Fig. 2.] Type No. |f$ff 9 ad. U. S. National Museum (Drpartuieut of Agriculture collec- tion). From Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake, Saw Tooth Mountains, Idaho, October 3, 1800. Altitude about 2,200 meters "(7,200 feet). Collected by C. Hart Merriam aud Vernon Bailey (original number 1929). Measurements (taken in fiesh). — Total length, 105; tail vertebne, 47; pencil, 4.5 ; hind foot, 12.5. General characters. — Similar to 8. personatus in size and coloration, but differing in having a somewhat longer tail aud in cranial and dental characters. Color. — Upper parts uniform dull sepia brown, not darker on the rump. Under parts drab-gray slightly tinged with brown. Tail indis- tinctly bicolor, concolor with the upper and under surfaces of the body. Cranial and Dental characters. — The skull is larger and heavier than that of 8. personatus. The first and second unicuspidate teeth are largest and subequal; the third and fourth are considerably smaller * Named in honor of Dr. (i. E. DoIksou, M. a., P. B. S., etc., the distinguished author of 'A Monograph of the [nsectivora.' 20781)— No. 5 3 34 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. INo. 5. and nearly subequal, but the third is a trifle smaller than the fourth ; the fifth is completely in the tooth row and more than half as large as the fourth (when seen from below) and the tip is chestnut, as in all the others. Compared with Sorex personatus, its nearest relative, the lat- teral uuicuspids are higher ; the first, second, third, and fourth are more crowded ; the first and second are larger in- relation to the third and fourth ; and the fifth is very much larger. All of these teeth are- higher than long, while in 8. personatus the contrary is true The first molariform tooth is conspicuously larger than in personatus and its principal cusp is directed more obliquely backward. The internal basal lobe of the middle incisor is rudimentary ; the external lateral lobe or hook is larger than in 8. personatus. Record of specimen collected of Sorex dobsoni. U. S. National 8 Museum No. o -a u 'a Locality. Date. Sex. a o u a P- • o =2 Skin. Skull. M o '3 a o H H W 24274 31678 *1929 Oct. 3, 1890 ? 105 47 12.5 * Type. Sorex vagrans similis subsp. nov. Shrew. This is the commonest shrew inhabiting the marshes and borders of streams of the Salmon River Mountains, and it was found in the Pahsimeroi Mountains also. It is nearly related to S. vagrans of the Pacific coast region about Puget Sound, but differs from that species as pointed out below. SOREX VAGRANS SIMILIS subsp. nov. [Jawa with teeth, PI. iv, Fig. 3.] Type No. 3 j|§$$ 9 U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture collection). From Timber Creek, Salmon River Mountains, Idaho, August 26, 18'JO. Alti- tude about 2,500 meters (S,200 feet). Collected by Basil Hicks Dutcber (original number 1670). Measurements (taken in flesh.)— Total length, 111; tail vertebrae, 46; pencil, 4 ; hind foot, 13. General characters. — Similar to 8. vagrans, but slightly larger, with the skull aud mandible conspicuously larger and heavier. Color. — Upper parts uniform dull sepia brown slightly tinged with very pale rufous. Under parts drab gray slightly tinged with buff. Tail bicolor, concolor with upper and lower surfaces of body. Cranial and Dental characters. — Compared with 8. vagrans the skull is large and heavy (the under jaw in particular is everywhere conspic- uously thicker and heavier) and the angular process is longer. The base of the third upper unicuspidate tooth does not come down to the plane of the bases of the rest of the series. The principal cusp of the first molariform tooth is directed more obliquely backward than in 8. vagrans ; the mandibular teeth are larger, higher, and more crowded, July, 1891.1 MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 35 and the anteroinferior border of the second lateral tooth is einarginate or notched for the reception of the posterior part of the preceding tooth. Record of specimens collected of Sorex vayrans similis. TJ. S. National Museum No. 6 ft "a a '3d 'u o Locality. Date. Sex. ■a ■*» b£ a "o H i u k H o Skin. Skull. a a 23520 23522 30938 30940 1625 1045 Salmon River Mountains, Idaho do Aug. 23,1890 Aug. 24,1890 Aug. 25,1890 Aug. 26,1890 do ? ? J 9 ? 9 i d ? 102 110 112 111 105 110 112 117 100 39 48 47 46 45 47 47 50 44 12.5 13 23520 30944 1663 30943 *1«7n do 12 5 23525 do 13 23524 30942 31238 31312 31239 31942 1682 1708 1709 1723 1796 ....do ,, 13 5 23838 do Aug. 28,1890 ...do 13 23908 do 12.5 23839 do Aug. 30,1890 Sept. 15,1890 12.5 Pahsinieroi Mountains, Idaho 13 *Type. Sorex palustris Richardson. Marsh Shrew. This large and handsome shrew is common along the streams and in marshy places in many parts of Idaho, and is easily caught in traps baited with meat. I agree with Dobsou that the genus Neosorex, erected for this (or a closely allied) species by Baird, is not based on characters entitled to generic recognition, but differ with him iu the opinion that it " can not even be considered as representing a subgenus."* 1 regard Neosorex as an excellent subgenus. Record of specimens collected of Sorex palustris. U. S. National Museum No. Skin. 23307 23308 23474 23475 23516 23517 23514 23515 23518 24038 24300 24302 24301 23472 23473 Skull. 30827 30828 30892 30893 30934 30935 30932 30933 30936 31454 31706 31768 31767 30890 30891 Locality. 1537 1554 1570 1580 1621 1622 1047 1648 1664 1858 1915 1918 1919 159 160 Birch Crook, Idaho ...do ...do ...do Salmon llivor Mountains, Idaho ....do ...do ...do ...do Head of Wood River, Idaho Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho ...do ....do Birch Creek, Idaho ...do Date. Aug. 5, An- 8, Aug. 9, Aug. 11, Aug. 23, ...do... Aug. 21, ...do... Aug. 25, Sept. 25, Sept. 30, Oct. 1, Oct. 2, Aug. 11, Aug. 13, 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 Sex. ft... ?-. ft — ?-•- ?ad 149 140 151 159 162 158 164 156 174 152 158 145 i:;r, 150 140 w 19.5 18 19 18 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 17 18 * Synopsis of Genera of Soricidae, Proc. Zool. Soc Loud., 181)0,51. 36 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. |No. 5. Vespertilio nitidus H. Alleu. California Bat. A single specimen of a small brown bat, provisionally referred to this species, was shot by Mr. Clark P. Streator on Birch Creek, August 10. It is a female, and apparently immature. Record of specimen collected of Vespertilio nitidus.- A n c3 IS a >> 0 -a ».2 6 ft Locality. Date. Sex. .a 3S pi 3 . o a> £8 tn g t-i CD a IS be o £ a cS O c3 05^ 2 ca ,=> CO a '5 M cS 01 S 3 OS e r. 2 _ti 2 .d s 2 a P O 142 9 im. W 43 H 38 w 15 12 H 5.2 w 35 H 7.5 H 58 46 H 14.5 W 23448 Birch Creek, Idaho. . . Aug. 10, 1890 10.5 Arctomys sp. ? Marmot. Nearly extinct in the region traversed, though very abundant a year or two ago. Only two individuals were seen, and they were above timber line in the Salmon Kiver Mountains. One sat at the mouth of a cave at an altitude of about 3,350 meters (11,000 feet). It seemed to have a narrow red belly and gray back. Eemains of Arctomys are common at Big Butte and in the lava beds. The inhabitants attribute their de- struction to the severe drought of the past few years. In 1872 I collected specimens of an Arctomys on Henry Fork of Snake Biver and in the Teton Basin (Nos. 12406 and 12407, U. S. Nat. Mns.). Spermophilus* townsendi Bachman. Townsend's Sperinophile. Spermophilus toivnsendi Bachman, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. vni, 1839, pp. 61-62. (Type from Plains of Columbia near the mouth of Walla Walla River. Not of Allen, Monog. Rodentia, 1877, pp. 848-860). Spermophilus mollis Kennicott, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, p. 158. (Type from Camp Floyd, now Fairfield, Utah. This form may prove to he subspecifically separable from true townsendi). * For several years I have made a special effort to secure series of the Spermophiles of the Great Basin and Plains of the Snake and Columbia for the purpose of correct- ing synonymy and ascertaining the true status of the species, and have succeeded in bringing together in all about 100 specimens. The number would have been at least ' twice as great but for the inconvenient and seemingly unnecessary haste which these animals manifest in going into winter quarters when the summer is little more than half gone, thus disappointing the collectors, who, in several instances, reached the localities aimed at just too late. In addition to the specimens mentioned, which are of excellent quality and accom- panied by skulls, I have examined the types of all the species known to inhabit the region, namely, Bachman's S. townsendi (in the museum of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences), and Kennicott's mollis, elegans, and armatus (in the U. S. National Museum), and also, as stated in another place, have received specimens of S. columbi- anus, from within a few miles of the type locality. The conclusions resulting from this study were intended to appear first in a revision of the genus, upon which the author has been engaged for sometime, but the necessity for naming species in faunal lists renders it imperative to forestall the more formal paper by an announcement of the general results so far as they relate to the determination of the species. July, 1891] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 37 Common at Blackfoot and along Big Lost River and Birch Creek, and probably throughout the Suake Plains and sage-covered valleys of Idaho, as well as the Plains of the Columbia. This Spermophile is silent and shy and goes into winter quarters early ; it was not seen after the middle of August. Mr. Bailey says: "Those taken were all very fat and were excellent eating, the flesh being white, tender, and sweet, without unpleasant flavor." In 1872 I collected this species at Boss Fork, near Fort Hall, July 3, recording it under the name Spermophilus mollis of Kennicott (Sixth Annual Kept., U. S Geological Survey Terr., 1872, 1873, p. 664. Speci- men No. \l\li S U. S. National Museum). It is with great reluctance that I am forced to adopt for this Sper- mophile a name which has been in common use for another species since 1877, but adherence to the rule of priority leaves no ether course open. The type of the present species was collected by John K. Townsend, " on the Columbia River, about 300 miles above its mouth, in July," and was described by Bach man, in 1830, under the name Spermophilus townsend i* Nineteen years later Professor Baird based his description " upon the original of Bachman's article, in the collection of the Philadelphia Acad- emy of Natural Sciences," because " no specimens of this species were collected by any of the expeditions" (Mammals of N. Am., 1857, 326). In 1863 Bobert Kennicott described a Spermophile from Camp Floyd (now Fairfield), on the west side of Utah Lake, Utah, under the name Spermophilus mollis (Proc. Pbila. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1863, 157). In 1874 J. A. Allen placed mollis under townsendi as a subspecies — an arrange- ment in which I fully concur, though the habitat given is erroneous (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xvi, 1874, p. 293). Three years later, how- ever, in his monograph of the group (Monog. N. Am. Rodentia, 1877, pp. 848-860), he receded from his former position, accorded full specific rank to 8. mollis, and transferred the name toicnsendi (as a subspecies of richardsoni) to the animal described by Kennicott in 1863 as S. ele- gans. This course is easily explained by the fact that Allen never saw the type of townsendi, and was misled by the erroneous measurement of its length given by Bachman — " 8 inches 9 lines," which is nearly 51",m (2 inches) too much. The measurements of the hind foot and tail (correctly recorded by Bachman as " 1 inch 4 lines and 1 inch" [ap- proximately 33""u and 25",ni] respectively), apply to this species and fall far short of the dimensions of the same parts in S. elegans. In 8. elegans the hind foot averages about 41mm and the tail 70""", while in 8. totvnsendi the corresponding measurements are 33'"ni and 39"1"1. Through the courtesy of the authorities of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, I have recently examined and measured the type of 8. townsendi, and can not see that it differs in any way from the series collected by our party on the Snake Plains of Idaho. The length of the hind foot is a fraction less than 33mm. * Jour. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. vin, 1839, pp. 61, 62. 38 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. Record of specimens collected of Spermophilus iownsendi. [No. 5. U.S. National Museum No. Skiu. 23025 23063 23061 23064 23066 23926 23927 23332 23489 23490 23024 23067 23933 23065 23932 23930 23931 23929 23925 23928 23334 23331 23333 23492 Skull. 30471 30509 30507 3051C 30512 31331 31332 30791 30907 30908 30470 30513 31338 30511 31337 31335 31336 31334 31330 31333 30793 30790 30792 30910 1419 1436 1438 1440 1449 1463 1486 1534 1573 1576 3 33 43 44 46 47 48 51 53 54 90 117 130 162 Locality. Blackfoot, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ...do Big Lost River, Idaho. . ...do Birch Creek, Idaho ...do ...do Blackfoot, Idaho ....do Big Lost River, Idaho . . ...do ....do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do Birch Creek, Idaho ...do ...do ...do Date. July 10, July 12, July 14, July 15, July 16, July 22, July 24, Aug. 4, Aug. 9, Aug. 10, July 10, July 16, July 22, ....do .. ....do.. ....do .. ....do .. July 23, ....do .. ....do .. Aug. 4, Aug. 6, Aug. 8, Aug. 13, 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 Sex. J3 u a 4) o H si '3 H 195 45 209 49 188 39 210 46 202 44 198 37 198 40 176 39 188 43 183 40 207 45 195 43 191 50 192 53 208 43 210 44 204 39 181 89 206 43 175 40 167 35 177 34 180 32 187 33 a a 32 33.5 30 32 34 32 31 29 31 30 32 30 32 31 33 32 32 31 32 31 30 29 30 29 Spermophilus armatus Kennicott. Mountain Spermophile. Spermophilus armatus Kennicott, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pkila., 1863, p. 158 (type from foothills of Uinta Mountains near Fort Bridger, Wyoming). This species inhabits the Blackfoot Mountains east of the town of Blackfoot, on Snake .River, where Mr. Bailey found it common from the foothills to the higher parts of the range. The ranchmen living along the foothills complain that their crops suffer from its depredations. It may occur also in other mountain ranges visited, but had denned up before these mountains were reached. Burrows of some species of Spermophile abound in the Sawtooth and Pahsimeroi Mountains. The local name Picket Pin, by which Spermophiles are known in Idaho and other parts of the west, is suggestive of the upright position these ani- mals assume when sitting at the mouths of their holes. Record of specimen collected of Spermophilus armatus. U. S. National Museum No. 6 "3 a *n o Locality. Date. Sex. u a o H 8 u o u > '5 H O c2 Skin. Skull. 13 a 5 23062 30508 1435 Blackfoot Mountains, Idaho July 12, 1890 ? 275 68 45 July, 1891. J MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 39 Sperniophilus elegans Kcnnicott. Kenuicott's Spermopbile. Spermophilus elegans Keuuicott, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1803, p. 158 (type from Fort Bridger, Wyoming). Sperniophilus richardsoni var. toivnsendi Allen, Monog. Rodentia, 1877, p. 848-j- (not S. townsendi ofBachman, 1839). Common in the sage brush of the Neutral zone on the sides of Birch Creek and Lemhi Valley (just below the Canadian or Douglas fir zone and above the Sonoran) ; probably common in many similar localities visited, but hibernating so early that it was not observed. The iast specimen seen was captured August 22. In 1872 I collected this species at Henry Lake and near Teton Canon in July and August (Nos. *HH> HHt, \im, HUh TJ. B. Nat. Mas.). This species has been long known as 8. toivnsendi, but the name toivnsendi was originally applied (by Bachman) to the small gray Sper- mopbile of the Plains of the Columbia and Snake Eivers, to which species it is here restored. The present species, therefore, requires another name, which is found in the 8. elegans of Kennicott. As Ken- nicott stated, it uis most nearly related to S. richardsoni," from which it may be found to differ subspecifically only. Record of specimens collected of Sperniophilus elegans. U. S. National Museum No. 6 a 3c Skin. Skull. H o 23330 30789 1548 235(H) 30978 1591 23491 30909 11G 23798 31198 1007 Locality. Date. Birch Creek, Idaho Aug. 7,1890 | ...do Aus. 12, 1890 ...do. Aug. G.1890 Lemhi Valley, Idaho | Au-;.19. 1890 j -d Bj be « Sex. o fc. k H H 70 ,-j 271 ■ 2S2 02 * 250 68 * 255 73 | 12 41 4 'J Spermophilus columbianus fOrd). Burrowing Squirrel. Arctomys columbianus Ord, " Guthrie's Geog., 2d Am. ed., II, 1815, pp. 292-30:?" (based on the 'Burrowing Squirrel' of Lewis and Clark). Anisonyx brachiura Rafinesque, Am. Monthly Mag., II, 1817, p. 45 (based on the ' Bur- rowing Squirrel' of Lewis and Clark). Arctomys brachyura Harlan, Fauna Americana, 1825, pp. 304-306. Arctomys (Spermophilus) parryi, var. B. crythrogluteia Richardson, Fauna Boreal i- Americana, I, 1820, p. 161. Spermophilus parryi var. crythrogluteia Allen, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. , XVI, 1874, p. 292. Spermophilus cmpetra var. erythrogluitvus Allen, Monog. Rodentia, 1877, p. 839. "Burrowing Squirrel" Lewis and Clark, Paul Allen ed., 1814, n, pp. 173, 174 (descrip- tion), 312 (locality). This Sperraophile is abundant in northwestern Idaho and may inhabit the northern part of the region traversed by our party, but it goes into winter quarters so early that it was not captured. It is common in the Clearwater region, living in colonies in the prairies. I have speci- mens from Moscow and Grangeville. Mr. Clay McNamee writes me 40 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. fNo.5. from Moscow, Idaho : "These Sperruophiles live in colonies like prairie dogs, and are very abundant in this district. Many can be killed within the city limits of Moscow in the spring. In making their burrows some dirt is thrown out, making a small mouud, generally of a circular form. The mounds range from 3 to 10 inches in height. The hole or burrow generally goes straight down for 18 inches or 2 feet. The animals when disturbed sit up erect like a prairie dog and watch a person until within a few yards and then rush into their holes, uttering a series of short squeaks or whistles. When one is shot, unless killed quite dead, it is almost sure to get away. They hibernate during the winter and fall. Nearly all disappear about the 15th of July and remain until the next spring. On account of this habit they are called ' Seven sleepers' as they stay underground about 7 months. They are very fat when they go into winter quarters and are so poor when they come out in the spring that they can hardly walk." This animal is the ' Burrowing Squirrel' of Lewis and Clark, and the synonymy at the head of this article will be a great surprise to most mammalogists, for the 'Burrowing Squirrel' has been long believed to be a prairie dog (Cynomys), while it now proves to be the ground squirrel described by Richardson in 1829 under the name Arctomys (Spermopkilus) parryi var. erytlirogluteia, which is the same animal as the Spermophilus empetra var. erythroglutwus of Allen, 1877. Baird, in 1857, cited Ord's Arctomys columbianus as a questionable synonym of his own Cynomys gunnisoni,* with the following explana- tion : " Lewis and Clark mention a Burrowing Squirrel from the plains of the Columbia which appears to be a Cynomys, and may possibly be the same with the species here described," — namely, C. gunnisoni. Allen, in 1874, adopted the name Cynomys columbianus for the Pla- teau Prairie Dog, under which C, gunnisoni of Baird was given as a synonym; and in 1877 he stated: "the name columbianus of Ord becomes the only tenable specific designation" for the prairie dog in question.! Several years ago I began to doubt that any species of Prairie Dog occurred on the plains of the Columbia, and subsequent investigation satisfied me that my suspicion was well founded. Therefore, in writing of the Plateau Prairie Dog in a recent publication, + I discarded the name Cynomys columbianus and substituted therefor Cynomys gunnisoni of Baird, but did not state the reasons for so doing. Having ascertained positively that no Prairie Dog inhabits any part of the Plains of the Columbia or the region bordering thereon, I set out to procure series of the Spermophiles of the area in the hope of determining the identity * Mammals of North America, 1857, p. 335. t Monographs of Roclentia, 1877, p. 906. \ Report on the Results of a Biological Survey of San Francisco Mountain, Ari- zona, N. Am. Fauna, No. 3, September, 1890, pp. 58, 59. July. 1891] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 41 of the 'Burrowing Squirrel' of Lewis ami Clark, to which the scientific uame Arctomys Columbia mis was given by Ord in 1815.* The narrative of Lewis and Clark's Expedition t contains the state- ment : " We saw many sandhill cranes, and some ducks in the marshes near our camp, and a greater number of burrowing squirrels, some of which we killed and found them as tender and well flavored as our gray squirrels." The context shows that the precise locality to which they refer is a camas (called by them ( Quamash ') prairie between the forks of the Clearwater or Kooskooskie. I have succeeded in obtain- ing a fine series of specimens of the large Ground Squirrel which abounds in this region. Most of these specimens were procured in the neighborhood of Moscow, not more than 65 kilometers (about 40 miles) distant (in a northwesterly direction) from the very spot where Lewis and Clark killed their specimens. Others were obtained near Grange- ville, a still shorter distance (48 kilometers or about 30 miles south) from the type locality. These animals belong to the species gener- ally known as a form of Parry's Spermophile (Spermophilus cmpctra erythroyluteus). The detailed description of the 'burrowing squir- rel' given by Lewis and Clark applies in every particular J to this animal, while it does not apply at all to any Prairie Dog or in fact to any other known species of North American mammal. It seems ab- solutely certain, therefore, that the ' burrowing squirrel ' of Lewis and Clark is the present animal, and consequently that the specific name columbianus applied to it by Ord in 1815 becomes the only avail- able name for the species. Stated briefly, the two reasons which render this change imperative are, first, that Lewis and Clark's description fits this particular species, and second, that no other animal which can by any possibility be made to agree with their description inhabits the region. In the words of Dr. Allen : " As the whole synonymy of the species turns upon Lewis and Clark's description, I quote it in full."§ Lewis and Clark's description is as follows : " There is also a species of squirrel, evidently distinct, which we have denominated the burrowing squirrel. He "inhabits these plains, and somewhat resembles those found on the Missouri; he measures I foot and 5 inches in length, of which the tail comprises 24 inches only; the neck and legs are short; the ears are likewise short, obtusely pointed, and lie close to the head, and the aperture larger than will generally be found among burrowing animals. The eyes are of a moderate size, the * In the second American edition of Guthrie's Geography, a very rare hook. t Paul Allen edition, vol. n, 1814, p. 312. t The only possihle exception is the length of the tail, which is said to ho only 2\ inches (about f)3in'"). As a matter of fact it averages a little over 100""" (4 inches). The tail may have been unusually short, or the tip may have been broken off in the specimen they measured. § Monographs of N. Am. Rodentia, 1877, p. 904. 42 NOKTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. pupil black, and tbe iris of a dark sooty brown ; tbe whiskers are full, long, and black; the teeth, and, indeed, the whole contour, resemble those of the squirrel ; each foot has five toes ; the two inner ones of the fore feet are remarkably short, and are equipped with blunt nails; the remaining toes on the front feet are long, black, slightly curved, and sharply pointed ; the hair of the tail is thickly inserted on the sides only, which gives it a flat appearance, and a long oval form ; the tips of the hair forming the outer edges of the tail are white, the other extremity of a fox red ; the under part of the tail resembles an iron gray ; the upper is of a reddish brown; the lower part of the jaws, the under part of the neck, legs, and feet, from the body and belly down- wards, are of a light brick red ; the nose and eyes are of a darker shade of the same color ; the upper part of the head, neck, and body, are of a curious brown gray, with a slight tinge of brick red ; the longer hairs of these parts are of a reddish white color at their extremities, and fall- ing together, give this animal a speckled appearance. These animals form in large companies, like those on the Missouri, occupying with their burrows sometimes 200 acres of land ; the burrows are separate, and each possesses, perhaps, ten or twelve of these inhabitants. There is a little mound in front of the hole formed of the earth thrown out of the burrow, and frequently there are three or four distinct holes, forming one burrow, with these entrances around the base of these little mounds. These mounds, sometimes about 2 feet in height and 4 in diameter, are occupied as watch towers by the inhabitants of these little communities. Tbe squirrels, one or more, are irregularly distributed on the tract they thus occupy, at the distance of 10, 20, or sometimes from 30 to 40 yards. When any one approaches they make a shrill whistling sound, some- what resembling tweet, tweet, tweet, the signal for their party to take the alarm, and to retire into their intrenchments. They feed on the roots of grass, etc." * Tamias cinerascens Merriara. Gray Ground Squirrel. Taiuias cinerascens Merriam. N. Am. Fauna, No. 4, Oct., 1890, p. 20 (type from Helena, Montana). Abundant in the Salmon River, Saw Tooth, and Pahsimeroi Moun- tains, living in colonies in rocky places, often above timber line, and hibernating early ; not found below the Douglas fir zone. By the mid- dle of August this species bad become excessively fat and appeared during the hottest days only ; after the first of September it was rarely seen. The majority of the specimens obtained still had the red mantle, though a number were in various stages of the change from red to gray. Two were killed as late as September 23 (a warm day) on the divide beween the headwaters of Big Lost River and those of Trail Creek, though none had been seen for about three weeks. On a warm after- noon two days later (September 25) two more were killed and others * Lewis and Clark's Travels, Paul Allen edition, vol. II, 1814, pp. 173, 174. July. 1891. J MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 43 seen in the upper part of Wood River Valley and on the divide be- tween the head of Wood River and that of Salmon River. In a cafion on the west side of the Lost River Mountains (southern continuation of the Salmon River Range) Mr. Bailey met with a colony the members of which differ in habits from those previously known, in- asmuch as they climb trees. Mr. Bailey says : "They climb trees read- ily. We shot several from 6 to 30 feet high in trees, and frequently saw them in bushes after berries. They are very fond of ripe gooseberries, and eat the seeds of numerous small plants." In 1872 I collected this species at Henry Lake, August 10 (No. Hiifj U. S. Nat. Mus.). Record of specimens collected of Tamias cinerascens. TT. S. National Museum No. 6 a H "tJD o Skin. Skull. 23289 30748 1497 23290 30749 1498 23293 30752 1499 2326G 30722 1505 23291 30750 1500 23292 30751 1507 23258 30714 1508 23265 30721 1509 23260 30710 1510 23295 30754 1511 23294 30753 1512 23207 30723 1520 23250 30715 1521 23450 30868 1542 2325:. 30737 61 23204 30720 62 23251 30707 63 23261 30717 64 23257 30713 65 23252 30708 66 23263 30719 67 23250 30706 69 23250 30712 70 23983 31388 71 23262 30718 72 23254 30710 73 23253 30709 81 23269 30725 82 23268 30724 83 23561 30979 1583 23562 30980 1584 23449 30867 115 23563 30981 143 23451 80860 144 23658 31052 1608 23509 30987 1009 Locality. Lost River Mountains, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ..do ...do ...do ..do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do Birch Creek, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ...do Salmon River Mountains, Idaho. ...do Date. -a a W July 29, 1890 ...do ..do July 30, 1890 ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ....do July 31, 1890 ...do A ng. 0, 1890 July 28, 1890 July 29, 1890 ...do .."..do ...do July 30, 1890 July 29, 1890 July 30, 1890 ...do ....do ...do ...do July 31, 1890 ....do ....do Aug. 11, 1890 ...do Aug. 6, 18110 Aug. 11, 1890 ...do Aug. 19, 1890 ....do 9 ad ?-•- d"..- 9 ad 9 :id V ad 9 — ?•-- ?■•- ?■•■ d".-- 9 ad d ini 9 ad rf... ? -- 9... cf... 9... '3 H 293 110 271 100 278 100 278 80 286 109 273 91 284 112 284 107 258 94 278 107 213 82 303 112 277 110 273 87 256 101 281 101 274 100 270 100 265 105 257 104 240 99 295 111 290 102 270 115 234 9.-> 237 87 2G2 95 261 101 279 109 276 94 295 114 297 105 256 71 207 64 275 97 258 89 44 44 43 44.5 42 44 43 45 42 46 40 44 44 40 47 44 44 45 44 44 45 45 44.5 45 42 41 44 44 45 43 45 45 41 44 41 42 44 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. Record of specimens collected of Tamias cinerascens— Continued. [No. 5. U. S. National Museum No. 6 g 'C o Locality. Bate. Sex. .a So a '3 H 93 93 102 106 81 98 75 97 92 o Skin. Skull. a 5 23659 23660 31053 31054 31055 31179 30982 31680 31681 31679 31682 1637 1055 1671 1699 173 1850 1851 1852 1853 Salmon River Mountains, Idaho., do Aug. 23, 1890 Aug. 25, 1890 Aug. 26, 1890 Aug. 27, 1890 Aug. 19, 1890 Sept. 23, 1890 ....do d cf ? cf cf 9 J d cf 265 275 290 292 263 282 255 290 258 44 43 23661 do 46 23779 do 44 23564 .do 45 24276 24277 Summit, Alturaa Co., Idaho .. do 45 42 24275 24278 Head of Wood River, Idaho do Sept. 25, 1890 ...do 46 43 Tamias quadrivittatus amoenus Allen.* Klamath Chipmunk. Abundant throughout the Canadian and Hudsonian forests of central Idaho, descending as low as the upper part of the sage-covered foot- hills, and occuring, though not abundantly, as high as timber line on the mountains. Just above timber line in the Salmon Eiver Mountains this chipmunk was observed collecting large mouthfuls of the white wool from the beds of dwarf willows (Salix reticulata), which are only about 2 inches in height. In the Saw Tooth Mountains during the early part of October it was very abundant and remained active during cold weather, even after the ground was covered with snow, running about and tunneling in the soft snow after the manner of Eed Squirrels — a habit I have never before observed in a Chipmunk. It is an active, sprightly animal and climbs trees freely, though rarely going high. Its principal food in the region about Saw Tooth Lake at the time of our visit (last of September and early October) consisted of the seeds of Pinus murrayana, of which I removed not less than 332 from the cheek pouches of a single individual. Seventy-four specimens of this Chipmunk were collected and brought back to Washington — a sufficient series to illustrate many points of seasonal, geographic, and individual variation. All the specimens from the Saw Tooth Mountains are nearly typical amoenus, and those from the Pahsimeroi and Lost Eiver Mountains are fairly referable to the same form. Those from the northern Salmon Eiver Mountains show a strong tendency to run into luteiventris,] just half of the specimens collected having a decided fulvous wash across the belly. Dr. J. A. Allen, to whom I submitted the specimens, writes : " If No. 23568 [a yellow-bellied specimen] fairly represents the Salmon Eiver series, I should not hesitate to label them Tamias quadrivittatus * Tamias amoenus Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., in, No. 1, June, 1890, pp. 90-92 (type from Fort Klamath, Oregon). \Tamias quadrivittalus luteiventris Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., in, No. 1, 1690, pp. 102-103 (type from Chief Mountain Lake, Montana). July, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 45 luteiventris. On the other hand, I do not see how it is possible to do otherwise than to refer the Saw Tooth Lake, the Pahsimeroi Moun- tains, the Lost Eiver Mountains, and the Birch Creek series to Tamias amcenus. " Record of specimens collected of Tamias quadrivittatus amwnus. TJ. S. National Museum No. Skin. Skull. 31422 31421 31420 31423 3142G 31427 31417 31419 31415 31418 31425 31684 31842 30485 30094 30080 30693 30677 30685 30679 30683 30686 30678 30682 30687 30681 30690 30689 30676 30684 30692 30688 30691 30756 30761 30787 30755 30877 30788 30785 30784 30780 30870 30883 30871 .1860 1861 1865 1866 1807 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1889 1909 1917 145G 1490 1491 59 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 1500 1500 1502 1503 1513 1514 1515 1516 1517 1543 1544 1545 1540 1586 110 111 112 113 149 151) 151 Locality. Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho . ...do ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ....do. ...do. ...do. ...do. ...do. ...do. ...do Big Butte, Idaho Arco, Idaho ....do ....do Lost Liver Mountains, Idaho. ....do ...do ...do ....do ...do ...do ....do ...do ...do ...do ....do ...do ...do ...do ....do ....do ...do ...do ....do ...do ....do ...do ...do ...do ...do ..do ....do Date. Sept. 26, 1890 ...do ...do ...do ....do ....do ....do ....do ...do ....do Sept. 28, 1890 Sept. 29, 1890 Sept. 30. 1890 July 19, 1890 July 25, 1890 July 26, 1890 July 29, 1890 July 30, 1890 ....do ....do ....do ...do ....do July 31, 1890 July 29, 1890 ...do ...".do ....do July 30, 1890 ....do ....do ... do ...do Aug. 6, 1890 ....do ....do ...do Aug. 11, 1890 Aug. 6, 1890 ....do ....do ...do An-. 11,1890 ...do ....do Sex. ?•-- cT... ?-•- d"-.- cf--. d"".-. cf... ?-•- cf--. 77 46 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. lNo.5. Record cS a [So 'S O Locality. Date. Sex. cs o H U :s :ti2'.i7 1817 Pahsiineroi Valley, Idaho Sept. 16,1800 9 198 85 30 23892 31290 31298 81304 1818 1819 1820 ....do. ...do d 9 d 190 195 200 80 86 87 29.5 23804 ...(•(» ...do 30 23900 ...do ...do 31 48 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. Record of specimens collected of Tamias minimus pictus — Continued.. U. S. National Museum No. Skiu. 23897 23899 24001 23307 23308 23208 23311 23770 23774 23131 23134 23129 231 36 23128 23132 23059 23055 23058 23057 23056 23915 23054 2323H 23239 23324 23310 23301 23464 23466 23456 23458 23462 23455 Skull. 31168 31301 31303 31424 30766 30767 30757 30770 31170 31174 30576 30579 30574 30581 30573 30577 30505 30501 30504 30503 30502 31320 30500 30695 30696 30783 30769 30760 30882 30884 30874 30876 30880 30873 1824 1825 1826 1859 1560 1564 1588 1589 1743 1761 4 5 6 14 15 16 40 41 42 49 50 55 39 58 60 114 131 136 156 157 158 161 165 166 Locality. Pahsimeroi Valley, Idaho ...do ...do Upper Salmon Valley, Idaho. Birch Creek, Idaho ...do ...do ...do Lemhi, Idaho ...do Blackfoot, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ....do ...do Bij; Lost Kiver, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ..do ...do ... do Arco, Idaho Little Lost River, Idaho Birch Creek, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ..do ...do ...do Date. Sex. Sept. 17, 1890 .. do ....do Sept. 25, 1890 Aug. 7,1890 ...do Aug. 11, 1890 ....do Sept. 2,1890 Sept. 3,1890 July 11, 1890 ....do ....do July 13, 1890 ....do ....do July 21, 1890 July 32, 1890 ....do ...do ....do July 24, 1890 July 21, 1890 July 25,1890 July 27, 1890 Aug. 6,1890 Aug. 8,1890 Aug. 9,1890 Aug. 11, 1890 ....do ....do Aug. 13, 1890 Aug. 14, 1890 ....do 9 — ?-'-- 9 im ?--• 9 — 9.— d~- 9— 9-- ? — ?•■- d--- ?... d-~ ?••• d"..- 9 — ?••- cT-.- d--- d--- ?.... ?■■- ?--- ?.... ?.... d~- d-... d-.- d---- 192 195 184 192 178 188 187 200 192 199 197 195 173 193 193 179 197 185 178 184 181 155 197 196 185 181 186 182 189 196 177 193 184 154 H 30 30 30 30 29 28 28 30 30.5 28 29 31 29 30 29 28.5 30 29 29 29 29.5 28 30 29 30 29 28 29 27 27.5 27 29 27 27 Sciurus richardsoni Bachmau. Richardson's Squirrel. Sciurus richardsoni Bachinan, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., vol. vi, 1838, pp. 100, 101 (type from mountains at head of Big Lost River, Idaho). Richardson's Squirrel is the most conspicuous mammal of the conifer- ous forests of central Idaho, and is common from the lower edge of the zone of Douglas fir and Murray pine to timber line, where the prevail- ing trees are the white-bark pine and alpine fir. It feeds upon the seeds of these conifers and also upon those of Picea alba, and the mouths of its burrows are often nearly hidden by the piles of scales which accumulate about its home. The large seeds of the white-bark pine (Pinus albicaulis) are especially sought for, and the peculiar character of the cone of this species has given rise to a clever method of gaining July, 189].] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 4(J access to the seeds. The scales of the cones are very thick ami are firtnly glued together, instead of being separate as usual among conifers. To reach the seeds the squirrel gnaws a hole iu one side of the cone by means of which he extracts all of the seeds, just as our eastern squirrels obtain the meats of the larger nuts. A cone thus gnawed is shown iu the accompanying figure. Squirrels ordinarily reach the seeds of coni- fers by stripping off the scales from the cones. Fig. 1. — Cono of White-bark Pino guawo > c$ O H H ? ad.. 340 150 d 310 138 $ im . 325 145 Castor canadensis Kubl. Beaver. Beavers are common in suitable places throughout Idaho. We found them on Timber Creek in the Salmon Eiver Mountains, on the headwaters of the Pahsimeroi, and in the Saw Tooth Mountains. Fresh cuttings were observed also in Snake River Canon near Shoshone Falls. In 1872 several specimens were trapped in Teton Basin (skulls 12403 and 12401, U. S. Nat. Mus.). Onychomys leucogaster brevicaudus subsp. uov. Idaho Grasshopper Mouse. This new subspecies of Grasshopper Mouse is common in most parts of the Upper Sonoran zone of Idaho. It may be known by the follow- ing- description : ONYCHOMYS LEUCOGASTER BREVICAUDUS subsp. uov. lection). From Blackfoot, Idaho, July 15, 1800. Collected by Veruou Bailey and Basil Hicks Dutcher (original number 1442). Measurements (taken in flesh). — Total length, 139 j tail vertebras, 38 ; hind foot, 19.5. Ear from crown, 12 (in dry skin). General characters. — Similar to O. leucogaster, but smaller, with shorter tail and much larger ears. In the type specimen the ears are not quite so large as in all the other specimens from the same region. Color. — Upper parts drab-gray, washed with pale cinnamon tawny, especially over the rump and flanks. Under parts and fore legs pure white, the white reaching well up on the sides, as usual in Onychomys. Tail whitish, with an ill-defined dark stripe on proximal two-thirds of upper surface. In immature, though full-grown, individuals the upper parts are mouse-gray, inclining to drab-gray, without the tawny wash. Cranial and Dental characters. — Compared with O. leucogaster the skull is much smaller, the rostral part is both actually and relatively shorter, and the zygomatic arches are shorter and more spreading, particularly anteriorly, giving the postrostral part of the skull a squarish appear- ance. The last upper molar is smaller than in leucogaster and is a cylindrical peg. JULY, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 53 Fig. 2. -Trith of Onychomys brevicaudus (type). Very much woru. X 15. Record of specimens collected of Onychomys leucogaster brevicaudus. TT. S. National Musi-mil No. 23107 2311:. 23080 23085 22997 2299G 230G9 Skin. Skull. 30552 305G0 30532 30531 30443 30442 30515 1422 1434 1442 1466 7 13 30 Locality. Blackfoot, Idaho ...do ...do Big Lost River, Idaho Blackfoot, Idaho ...do ...do July 11, 1890 July 13, 1890 July 15, 1890 July 22, 1890 July 11, 1890 July 12, 1890 July 15, 1890 J3 8 -.1 a .o Sex. H "3 > 0 eS H H c? 136 41 9 139 39 d 139 38 6 135 41. 9 134 34 rf 130 30 d" 132 37 w 20 20 19.5 19 18 19. 5 19 Hesperomys crinitus sp. nov. Canon Mouse. This new species of Hesperomys belongs to the silky-haired eremicns group of the Sonoran Province, the range of which is thus carried about 500 miles north of its previously known limit. The present species is an abundant inhabitant of the lava canons of Snake River, where eighteen specimens were captured in a single night among the cliffs and masses of basalt at Shoshone Falls. Most of them were taken in traps baited with rolled oatmeal. The species may be known from the fol- lowing description : HESPEROMYS CRINITUS sp. nov. Type No. §?;■" CD t-t > '3 H o <2 Skin. Skull. a W 24248 31652 31659 31655 31664 31658 31665 31054 31662 31657 31653 31656 31661 31600 1944 *1945 1946 1947 1949 1949 1950 1950 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 Oct. 10,1890 ....do d ad.. d ad.. d ad.. d ad., cf ad.. d cf--- d im . $ ad.. $ ? ? im . $ im 184 175 173 172. 174 167 172 152 180 175 180 165 163 97 97 95 94 93 90 95 74 97 92 97 88 85 21 24255 ...do 21 24251 ....do ....do 21 24260 do ...do 21 24254 ....do ....do 21 24261 ..do do 21 24-50 ....do do 21 24258 ....do do 21 24253 ....do .. ....do 21 24249 ...do ....do 20 24252 ...do ... do 21 24257 ....do ....do 21 24256 ....do ...do 21 *Tjpe. July, 1891. | MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 55 Hesperomys leucopus (Eafiuesque). White-footed Mouse. Abundant throughout the, region traversed, occurring in equal num- bers from the Snake Plains to or above timber line on the mountains. This species is one of the greatest nuisances the mammal collector has to deal with, as it is forever getting into traps set for more valuable species. It inhabits all sorts of situations, and in most places far out- numbers all other mammals together. When camped on Salmon River, in Round Valley, the latter part of September, we saw dozens of them every night climbing about among the willows, and heard them rushing to and fro among the dead leaves, making almost as much noise as rabbits. The large series of specimens here referred to this species may be found eventually to merit separation into two or three subspecies. The largest and handsomest form is the one from the Saw Tooth Mountains, which is nearly identical with that from the Salmon River Mountains. In these the tail is sharply bicolor, blackish above and pure white below. Specimens from the sage plains and valleys have the tail indistinctly bicolor. Those from the canon of Snake River are smaller and differ somewhat in coloration. Record of specimens collected of Hesperomys leucopus. IT. S. National Musouni No. © 'a a 'C O Locality. Date. Sex. M 0 V "3 o H a CD Eh o> k '3 H o =2 Skin. Skull. 13 a 3 23117 23116 30562 30561 30564 30554 30558 30550 30557 30448 30555 30556 30563 30551 30559 30553 30523 30517 30524 30522 30527 30525 30519 30528 30520 30516 30529 1 2 1417 1418 8 9 10 11 1421 12 1428 1429 1430 18 19 31 1453 1454 45 1468 1469 1470 1471 1472 1473 1474 ....do July 10, 1890 ....do 9 ?.... 9 9 9 d 9 .... cC... d 9 9 9 d d V ad . . 9 ira.. '3 H 9 153 70 cf 108 78 cf-.-- 162 72 d 151 68 d 160 73 cf 165 73 9 184 89 9 174 72 9 ad.. 176 76 9 165 72 cf ■--• 155 62 cf 180 85 9 170 78 9 188 88 9----. 169 70 9 156 66 d 151 68 d 160 73 d 154 70 9 140 60 d 116 55 $ .... 133 61 cf.---- 173 80 d 147 62 d 152 68 ?--■ • 170 75 d 162 72 9 174 77 j 9 150 67 cfim .. 150 63 9 ad . . 160 68 9ad.. 170 79 9ad.. 165 73 9im .. 131 57 9ad .. 160 75 cfim .. 148 66 9 158 66 d im -- 131 59 d 170 79 d 170 80 d 158 71 d 165 74 d 151 70 9 163 75 cf- --• 175 83 d 166 76 d 156 72 ?. ... 166 77 cf 180 88 9 187 85 9 172 79 July, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 57 Record of specimens collected of Hesperomys leucopus — Continued. U.S. National Museum No. Skin. Skull. 24041 24044 24040 24388 24389 24387 24385 24390 24259 2426C 24264 24265 24263 24262 31457 31460 31456 31794 31795 31793 31791 31796 31663 31670 31608 31669 31667 31 666 1887 1888 1908 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1940 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 Locality. Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho . . do ..do ..do ..do ..do ..do .do Shoshone Falls, Idaho.. .do ..do ..do ..do Bate. Sept. 28, 1890 ....do Sept. 29, lRf»0 Oct. 2, 1890 ...do ....do ....do ....do Oct. 4, 1890 Oct. 10,1890 ....do ...do ...do Sex. .do 9 •-- d-... '"im . cf ad . d--.. d-.-. ?.... d ad. f ad. ?.... c?.... 9 ini d i i ii si Mi ,Q U O H H 105 78 155 67 144 62 178 84 175 85 175 89 ' 173 CI 185 89 170 88 157 71 156 65 150 70 145 65 144 62 a 20 20.5 21 22 22.5 22.6 22.5 22 12. 5 20 19 20.5 19 19 Neotoma cinerea (Ord). Bushy-tailed Wood Eat. " Mus chiereus Ord, Guthrie's Geography, 2d Am. Ed. II, 1815, 292" (Based on the description of Lewis and Clark, Paul Allen ed., 1814, vol. I, pp. 289-290; type from Great Falls, Montana). Common in the cliffs of Birch Creek Valley and in a canon in theLost Eiver Mountains. One was caught on a Lagomys slide at timber line in the Pahsimeroi Mountains, September 10, in a trap set on a stack of Lagomys hay. Record of specimens collected of Neotoma cinerea. U. S. National Museum No. d a Tc 'H O Locality. Date. Sex. mi c S "a o H 8 u

ad ? im tfini cfiui cT im d ad ?... d ■■ cf ad $ini ?.... 195 180 220 180 178 178 202 186 190 245 200 242 168 128 132 142 205 162 174 195 190 185 184 a 28 27 26 25 25 24.5 28 26 26 26 26 26 26 23 23 24 27 21 26 26 26 27 27 * Type. Arvicola rnordax sp. nov. Cantankerous Arvicola. This new Arvicola is common in the marshes bordering the inlet of Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake at the east foot of the Saw Tooth Moun- tains, and specimens were collected also in the Lembi Indian Agency, Salmon liiver Mountains, Lost River Mountains, and at the north foot of the Brunneau Mountains. Thirty-live specimens were secured. Its nearest relative seems to be J., longicaudus of the Black Hills of Dakota, but it differs from longicaudus in having a still longer tail, larger hind feet, and much smaller ears, and also in cranial characters and coloration. It may be known from the following description: ARVICOLA (MYNOMES) MORDAX ap. nov. Typo No. :-;j,vi-, J ad. U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture collec- tion). From Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake, east foot of Saw Tooth Mountains, Idaho, September 29, 1890. Collected by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey (original number 1903). Measurements (taken in flesh).— Total length, 200; tail vertebrae, 77; hairs, 6; hind foot, 22; ear (in dry skin) from crown, 10; from notch, 13. General characters. — Similar to A. longicaudus but larger, with larger hind feet, longer tail, and smaller ears ; color of upper parts paler; feet and uuder sides of tail whitish instead of dusky ; ears nearly naked, 62 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. slightly overtopping the fur ; hind legs naked for some distance above ankles. Color. — Upper parts pale grayish bister, conspicuously lined with black-tipped hairs, and becoming almost clear gray on the sides. Under parts and feet whitish, the plumbeous basal fur showing through slightly. Tail bicolor; dark above, whitish below. The gray of the sides fades gradually into the white of the belly. Some specimens have a rusty tinge on the back. This is most pronounced in No. 23371 from the Lost River Mountains. Cranial and Dental characters. — Skull similar to that of A. longicaudus but with processes and ridges more strongly developed ; nasal bones longer and less depressed anteriorly, and audital bullae more inflated. The condyloid ramus of the jaw is longer and more vertical than in longicaudus, and the angular process is longer. The teeth are as in A. longicaudus (see Plate II, Figs. 3, 4). Record of specimens collected of Arvicola mordax. U. S. x.ational Muse -in No. 6 c« a o Skin. Skull. 26240 31644 1890 24241 31645 1893 24024 31440 1894 24025 31441 1897 24231 31635 *1903 24013 31429 1904 24012 31428 1905 24019 31435 1906 24033 31449 1910 24398 31804 1916 24237 31641 1935 24234 31638 1938 24233 31637 1939 24554 31949 1970 23245 30702 1519 23371 30831 1623 23860 31260 1740 23861 31261 1769 24026 31442 1907 24236 31640 1934 24239 31643 1937 23512 30930 1633 23859 31259 1741 23858 31258 1765 24022 31438 1892 Locality. Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho ....do ...do ....do ...do ....do ....do ....do ....do ...do ...do ....do ....do Three Creek, Idaho , Lost River Mountains, Idaho ...do Lemhi Indian Agency, Idaho ....do Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho ...do ...do Salmon River Mountains, Idaho.. Lemhi Indian Agency, Idaho ...do Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho Date. Sept. 28, 1890 ....do — do . .* — ....do ....... Sept. 29, 1890 ...do ....do ....do ...do Sept. 30, 1890 Oct. 4, 1890 ....do ....do Oct. 14, 1890 July 31, 1890 Aug. 1, 1890 Sept. 2, 1890 Sept. 4, 1890 Sept.29,1890 Oct. 3,1890 Oct. 4,1890 Aug.23,1890 Sept. 2, 1890 Sept. 3, 1890 Sept. 28, 1890 Sex. d d cTim.. d ini.. d ad.. d ? ad.. 9 im.. d 9 ad.. d 9 ad.. 9 d d d 9 d ad.. 9 juv. 9 juv. 9 juv. 9 Jiv- d juv. d juv. d juv. 180 182 156 152 200 180 181 156 160 174 160 174 154 178 180 162 168 180 136 144 145 146 121 149 114 M 23 22 21 21 22 22 22 21 21 21 22 22.5 22 21 21 20.5 21 20.5 20 21 22 21 19 20.5 19 *Type. Arvicola nanus sp. nov. Dwarf Arvicola. A dozen specimens of this new Arvicola were trapped on a grassy hillside in the Pahsimeroi Mountains at an elevation of about 2,850 meters (9,350 feet). The species was not met with elsewhere. July, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 63 ARVICOLA (MYNOMES) NANUS sp. nov. Type No. |$ffjj <$ ad. U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture col- lection). From Pahsimeroi Mountains, Idaho (altitude 2,b50"meters or 9,350 feet), September 1C, 1890. Collected by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey (original number 1809). Measurements (taken in flesh). — Total length, 151 ; tail vertebrae, 41; hairs, 7.5; hind foot, 18. Ear (in dry skin) from crown, 4; from notch, 9.5. General characters. — Size, small ; one of the smallest species known from North America. Ears, small, suborbicular, with large antitra- gns and large fossa innominata; upper margin incurved; posterior margin sparsely haired. Whiskers short, barely reaching meatus. Hiud feet short. Tail slightly more than one-third the length of head and body ; well haired, and penicillate. Color.— Upper parts pale grizzled bister, conspicuously mixed with black-tipped hairs, and becoming ash gray ou the sides. Under parts grayish white. Tail bicolor ; above dusky, below whitish. Feet dusky. Cranial and Dental characters. — Skull very small ; basilar length of Hensel, 22; zygomatic breadth, 14. Muscular impressions strongly developed; brain case narrow and high ; jugal bones parallel ; parie- tals sub-truncate anteriorly ; nasals ending about on plane of nasal branch of prem axillary ; length of incisive foramina less than twice the premaxillary symphyses. Teeth as usual in western Mynomes, nor- mally lacking the postero-iuternal loop or spur of middle upper molar (in one specimen out of the twelve there is an attempt at this loop). Record of specimens collected of Arvicola nanus. U. S. National Museum No. d 3 a « O Skiu. Skull. 23881 31285 1782 23883 31287 1783 23880 31284 1784 23882 31286 1789 23853 31253 •1809 23852 31252 1810 23851 31251 1811 23854 31254 1812 2387'J 31283 1790 23876 31280 1791 23878 31282 1792 23877 31281 1793 23855 31255 1813 24555 31950 1908 24553 31948 L809 24556 31951 1971 Locality. Pahsimeroi Mountains, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ... do ....do ....do , ...do ...do ...do Throe Creek, Idaho , ...do ...do Date. |Sept. 14, 1890 ... do ....do Sept. 15, 1890 Sept. 16, 1890 ....do ...do ....do Sept. 15, 1890 ...do ..-.do ...do Sept. 16, 1890 Oct. 13,1890 ...do Oct. 14,1890 Sex. J.... ? im cf.... $.... cf..-. ?.... cf juv cf juv cf juv ? juv ? juv d.... cf-.-- cf iia 8 A S 5 ,fi a *-> fe 1 > o « H H 135 35 140 37 115 32 144 38 151 41 130 35 130 32 125 32 97 23 105 31 98 24 104 27 118 29 142 40 150 43 138 .'ill .9 W 18 19 18 19 18 18 18 18 17 17 16.5 17 17 21 20 19 * Type. 64 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. lNo.5. Arvicola pauperrimus Cooper. Pallid Lemming Mouse. Arvieola pauperrima Cooper, American Naturalist, vol. n, Dec., 1868, p. 535 (type from Plains of the Columbia near Snake River, Washington)- f 'Arvicola cartata Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phi)., Jan., 1868, p. 2 (type from Pigeon Spring, Mt. Magruder, Nevada, near the boundary between Inyo County, California, and Esmeralda County, Nevada). This small Arvicola, which may be readily recognized by its whitish color, inhabits the barren hills of the Canadian Zone of the Salmon Iliver Mountains and may occur in the Neutral Zone also. A female and five young were trapped in a dry park on a mountain side at an altitude of about 2745 meters (9,000 feet). This species was named by Cooper but was not described, though its measurements as taken in the flesh were given in a foot-note. Cooper's type specimen is still in the U. S. National Museum (No. 3 g S ? f a<*0 but is in very poor condition, consisting of an overstuffed skin, badly torn, containing the remains of the skull. Fortunately, however, the teeth are still preserved, and the feet and tail are attached to the skin. I have compared this specimen with those from Idaho and can not find any differences of importance. The measurements of the tail and hind foot are essentially the same in both, and Cooper's measurements taken in the flesh show that the total length was the same.* In order to put the characters of this species on record a good speci- men is here described : No. f f fii 5 ad. U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture collection). From Salmon Eiver Mountains, Idaho, August 27, 1890. Altitude 2,745 metres (9,000 feet). Collected by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey. (Original number 1695.) Measurements (taken in flesh). — Total length, 116; tail vertebra?, 20; pencil, 7; hind foot, 16. Ear from crown, 5; from notch, 8 (in dry skin). General characters. — Size small, considerably smaller than its nearest relative, Arvicola curtatus ; t ears small, covered with long hairs and nearly concealed by the fur; anterior border incurved. Feet broad, short, and densely covered with hair; hairs of toes extending beyond tips of claws. Tail very short and well haired. Whiskers short, reach- ing tips of ears. Color. — Upper parts clear gray with a faint tinge of buffy, and finely lined with black-tipped hairs. Under parts whitish, changing gradu- ally into color of sides. Tail indistinctly bicolor, its upper and lower surfaces concolor with corresponding surfaces of body. Feet whitish. * On the back of the original label Cooper gives the length of head, and body as 3.87 inches; tail vertebras .75 inch, making a total of 4. 02 inches, or 117 mm., which is just 1 mm. more than in the Idaho specimen. tit is possible that Arvicola pauperrima Cooper may prove to be a subspecies of, or even identical with, A. curtala Cope from Pigeon Spring, Nevada (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Jan., 1868, p. 2). The latter was described from a very young individual (epiphyses not yet aukylosed) and its characters, are uncertain. That it is closely related to the present species, is unquestionable, July, 18Q1.J MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 65 Cranial and Dental characters.— Skull small, broad, flat, and depressed iuterorbitally ; postorbital processes well developed ; brain case squar- ish. In many respects the skull resembles that of Phenacomys orophilus, though it lacks the broadly expanded zygomata and other generic char- acters of that animal. Each zygomatic arch presents three angles and four planes ; the maxillary root stands out at right angles to the axis of the skull, or is even directed a little forward, then bends obliquely backward, outward, and downward ; then becomes horizontal and par- allel to the axis of the skull and is overlapped by the short malar or jugal which meets the squamosal root of the arch at a sharp obtuse angle. The nasals are very short. The incisive foramina reach a lit- tle beyond the anterior plane of the first molars. The teeth present no noteworthy differences from those of Arvicola pallidus from North Dakota, the number and relations of the prisms agreeing with those of the subgenus Chilotus. The characters of their crowns are shown in Plate in, Figs. 1, 2. Record of specimens collected of Arvicola pauperrimus. TJ. S. National 6 Museum No. fc Skin. Skull. 5 23848 31248 1695 23817 31247 1696 23843 31243 1697 23845 31245 1698 23814 312)1 1714 23840 31246 1725 Locality. Salmon River Mountains, Idaho ....do ...do ..do ....do ....do Date. Aug. 27, 1890 ... do ...do ...do A ug. 29, 1890 Aug. 30, 1890 Sex. O "3 0 H 5 ad . . 116 tf itn . 92 ef im ■ 90 f 1111 . 80 , mi 88 ' iiu . 92 16 15 14.5 14.5 14 14 Phenacomys orophilus sp. nov. Mountain Lemming Mouse. This interesting animal, which has heretofore escaped observation, inhabits the higher parts of the mountains of central Idaho. Speci- mens were procured iu a moist meadow at timber line in the Salmon River Mountains, and one was taken from the stomach of a Great Horned Owl in the Saw Tooth Mountains. In the former locality it lives in dense beds of Bryanthus taxifolia and Salix reticulata which border the small rippling brooks that come from melting snow banks at an alti- tude of about 3,350 meters (11,000 feet). Like Lagomys, which lives in adjacent rock slides, it feeds on Geum rossii and doubtless other al- pine plants also. In my original description of the genus Phenacomys I ventured the prediction that it would be found in " Idaho, Washiugtou, and perhaps Montana also." Since the publication of that paper Mr. F. W. True has described a species from Oregon,* and I now have the pleasure of adding one from Idaho, making in all six species of the genus thus far described. 'Phenacomys longicaudus True, Proc. U. 8. National Museum, xiii, No. 826, pp. 303— 304. Author's separates issued November 15, 1890, 20789— No. 5 9 66 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA [NO. 5. PHENACOMYS OROPHILUS sp. nov. TypeNo. ffflg $ ad. U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture col- lection). From Salmou River Mountains, Idaho (uear head of Timher Creek, altitude 3,200 meters or 10,500 feet), August 28, 1890. Collected hy C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey. (Original number 1710.) Measurements (taken in flesh). — Total length, 146 ; tail vertebrae, 38.; pencil, 3; hind foot, 19. Ear from crown, 10; from notch, 13 (in dry skin). General characters. — Size a little larger than Phenacomys intermedins ; ears large and conspicuous ; tail small and cylindrical. Whiskers short, hardly reaching to ears. Ground color gray as in Arvicola pallidus, but darker along the back. Color. — Upper parts gray, tinged with buffy and heavily lined with black-tipped hairs, particularly along the middle of the back. Under parts whitish, the plumbeous basal fur showing through. Tail bicolor, its upper and lower surfaces concolor with the corresponding surfaces of the body. Cranial and Dental characters. — Skull low, broad, and flat, apparently much as in P. intermedius. Frontal sulcus shallow. Interparietal nar- rowly pentagonal as in P. latinianus (very different from that of P. cela- tus). Teeth only half-rooted, growing from persistent pulps except (probably) in extreme old age.* The general pattern of the crowns of the teeth is similar to that in P. celatus except that the outer loops of the last upper molar are very mucli reduced, and the posterior loop of the last lower molar is smaller, making this tooth of approximately equal breadth at both ends (see Plate in, Figs. 3, 4). Record of specimens collected of Phenacomys orophihis. U. S. National Museum No. 6 'A "3 a 'Ei "E O Locality. Date. Sex. M a '3 H 4-> o <2 Skin. Skull. P W 23850 31250 31256 31242 31249 31947 1684 1710 1713 1772 Salmon River Mountains, Idaho .. ....do Aii£. 27, 1890 Aug. 28, 1890 Aug. 29, 189U Sept. 5, 1890 Sept. 30, 1890 ? ad.. 30 38 25 28 17 23856 ? ad.. cT .--. d ad.. 146 112 120 19 23842 ....do 17 23849 ....do 18 Saw Tooth Mountains, Idaho Evotomys idahoensis sp. nov. Idaho Red- backed Mouse. Ked-backed mice of the genus Evotomys are common in the conifer- ous forests of the Boreal zone in Idaho. Six specimens were secured, three in the Salmon Eiver Mountains and three in the Saw Tooth Mountains. They were usually caught in traps set under rotten logs in dry pine or spruce woods, though Mr. Bailey caught one in his hands * This is the case also in P. longivaudus, the type specimen of which I have had the privilege of examining, through the courtesy of Mr. True. July, 1891. MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 67 in the daytime as it was drinking at the margin of Saw Tooth Lake, October 3 (No. 24282). There was snow on the ground at the time. While agreeing in a general way, those from the Salmon River Moun- tains are smaller, have shorter feet and tails, relatively longer ears, and very much larger antitragus than those from the Saw Tooth Mountains, and the nasal bones are noticeably shorter. Should these differences prove constant the two forms will require separation. The Saw Tooth Mountain animal is the one here described. EVOTOMYS IDAHOENSIS sp. nov. (Teeth, Plate in, Figs. 5, 6.) tion). From Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake, east foot of Saw Tooth Mountains, Idaho, October 4, 1890. Collected by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey (Original number 1936). .Measurements (taken in flesh). — Total length, 153; tail vertebra?, 48; pencil, 0.5; hind foot, 20. Ear from crown, 10; from notch, 12.5 (in dry skin). General characters. — Size and proportions about as in E. galei from the mountains of Boulder County, Colorado ; smaller than E californi- um ; coloration unique, a well-defined, pale hazel dorsal area as in yalei, with ash gray sides as in califomicus. Color. — Dorsal area hazel, well defined, darker than in galei but not so bright as in gapperi; rest of upper parts dark ash gray tinged with bister as iu califomicus f not suffused with ochraceons buff as in gapperi and galei. Under parts soiled whitish, the plumbeous basal color of the fur showing through. Tail indistinctly bicolor, dusky above, much paler below. Cranial and Dental characters. — Skull rather narrow, as in gapperi and occidentalism with the nasals less strongly deflexed and the frontals nar- rower interorbi tally. The last upper molar has three deep reentrant angles and four salient angles or loops on each side with a tendency to form a fifth on the outer side. The first lower molar has five project- ing loops and four deep reentrant angles ou the inner side and four projecting loops and three deep reentrant angles on the outside. The last lower molar is slightly broader anteriorly than posteriorly. Record of specimens collected of Evotomys idahoensis. U. S. National Museum No. c "A Skull. Origina Skin. 24283 31687 l!i:;r, 24282 31 680 1931 24392 31798 1920 23840 31240 1732 23841 31241 1712 23909 31313 1701 Locality. Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho ...do ...do Salmon River Mountains, Idaho ...do * Type. Date. Oct. 4, 1890 Oct. :s, 1890 Oct. 2, 18'J0 Aug. 31, 1890 Aug. 29, 1890 Aug. 27, 1890 .a a M ,o a Sex. c e o 3 H H $ ad.. 153 48 d 138 42 $ iiu.. 128 38 cf ini.. 115 32 9 ad.. 145 40 9 ad . . 142 37 20 20 19 18.5 1!) 19 68 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. Fiber zibethicus (Linnaeus). Muskrat. Muskrats are common iu Lemhi River and in most of the streams and beaver ponds of Idaho. We found them particularly abundant at Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake, at the east foot of the Saw Tooth Mountains. Record of specimens collected of Fiber sibethicus. U.S. National Museum No. 6 ea a O Locality. Date. Sex. bl) □ o a o H S H .Q O u > '5 H o Skin. Skull. eg a W 23868 24559 31268 31954 31953 31837 31480 1766 1873 1902 1912 1927 Sept. 3, 1890 Sept. 26, 1890 Sept. 29,1890 Sept. 30,1890 Oct. 2, 1890 Oct, 2, 1890 d ? ad.. d im . ? im . $ im . d im ■ 580 580 540 506 258 260 242 240 78 83 24558 do 84 24431 ....do 84 ....do 31479 1928 do Thomomys clusius Coues. Pale Pocket Gopher. Thomomys clusius Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1875, 138 (type from Bridger Pass, Wyoming). The common Pocket Gopher of the Snake Plains and the valleys of Big Lost River and Birch Creek is here referred provisionally to tbis species. Specimens from the foothills east of Blackfoot show a tendency to run into the dark form inhabiting the mountains. It may be well to state iu connection witb the name here adopted that Bachman's types of borealis and townsendi (now in the museum of the Philadelphia Acad- emy of Sciences) have been compared with the present species and found to be not the same. Lewis and Clark noticed hills of the Pocket Gopher along the Clear- water iu Idaho in May, 1806, aud described them thus: "In many parts of the plain the earth is thrown up into little mounds by some animal whose habits most resemble those of the Salamander [Geomys tuza Ord]; but although these tracks are scat- tered over all the plains from the Mississippi to the Pacific, we have never yet been able to obtain a sight of the animal itself" (Lewis and Clark's Travels, Paul Allen Ed., vol. n, 1814, p. 273). Thousands of persons spend their entire lives in the midst of colonies of Pocket Gophers without ever seeing a specimen. At the same time the animals are easily caught when one has learned how, as may be inferred from the accompanying table, and it may be added that several times the number here enumerated could have been captured had we so desired, July, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. Record of specimens collected of Thomomys clusius. 69 TJ. S. National Museum No. Skin. Skull. 23141 23148 23918 24,305 23917 23317 23314 23315 23313 23310 23312 23534 23483 23535 23392 23391 23389 23481 2339(1 23393 23394 23480 23482 23478 23533 23532 23479 23477 2314U 23138 33137 23143 23146 23149 23147 23144 23145 23151 23139 30586 30593 31323 31322 30776 30773 30774 30772 30775 30771 30952 30901 30953 30852 30851 30844 3C89!) 30850 30853 30854 30898 30900 30896 3095] 30950 ! 30897 30895 30585 30583 30588 30591 30594 30592 30589 30590 30584 Locality. 38 1457 1467 1484 1485 1531 1532 1533 1536 1562 1563 ] :.; i 1575 1577 98 99 100 101 102 106 108 109 129 137 13H 139 140 141 L44.1 21 23 24 Big Butte, Idaho ....do Big Lost River, Idaho ...do ...do Birch Creek, Idaho ... ...do ...do ....do ...do ....do ...do ...do ...do ...do ....do ... .In ....do .. do ...do ...do ...do ....do .-..do ...do ....do ...do ....do Black foot, Idaho ....do ....do ...do ...do ...do ....do ....do ...do ...do ....do Date. July 19,1890 July 20, 1890 July 22, 1890 July 23, 1890 ....do Aug. 4,1890 ...do ....do Aug. 5,1890 Aug. 7,1890 ...do Aug. 9,1890 ....do Aug. 10, 1890 Aug. 4, 1890 ....do Aug. 5, 1890 ...do ...do ....do ...do ...do Aug. 8, 1S90 Aug. 9, 1890 ...do Aug. 10, 1890 ....do ....do July 15, 1890 July 11, 1800 ...do July 15, 1890 ...do ....do ....do ....do July 16, 1890 ...do ...do Sex. cf--. cf.... ?... ?..., cf.~. cf--- V ini cf---. d ini a in; ?■-- ?•-- cf... cf... $... ?... cf.-- cT... 9... cf... cf--- 9 — cf.-. ?.-- ?■-- cf... cf--- ?•-- ?•-• 9-.. ?•-- ?•-- 9... cf ad 9... ? • d... 195 187 168 173 179 162 161 150 104 187 172 188 188 174 171 155 159 160 160 158 172 177 179 161 164 161 165 162 189 176 177 175 174 171 178 194 183 180 170 H 23 23 22 22 24 22 21.5 21. 5 22 24 22 24 23.5 22 23 21 21.5 21 22. 6 23 22 23 22 24 23 23.5 23 24 25 25 21 24 Thomomys clusius fuscus ailbsp. now Mountain Pocket Gopher. The Pocket Gophers inhabiting the mountains of Idaho are very differ- ent from those of the sage plains and valleys, being larger and wholly different in color. T. clusius from the Snake Plains is whitish, washed with pale buffy ochraceous, while the mountain animal is dull chestnut. In 40 specimens of the former the hind foot measures from 21 to 21"""; in 23 of the latter it varies from 25 to 31""". Where the ranges of the 70 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. I No. 5. two forms meet there is a tendency to intergrade. This is particularly noticeable in specimens from the foothills east of Blackfoot. At Saw Tooth Lake fresh hills were thrown up after snowfall in early October. In 1872 1 secured a specimen in Teton Canon (No. lihHHK ? > tT. S. Nat. Mus.). THOMOMYS CLUSIUS FUSCUS subsp. nov. Type No. tfj^nr, 9 ad.,U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture col- lection). From mountains at bead of Big Lost River, Idaho, September 23, 1890. Collected by Basil Hicks Dutcher (Original number, 1847). Measurements (taken in flesh). — Total length, 215; tail vertebrse, 72; hind foot, 27. Ear from crown, 3 (in dry skin). General characters. — Similar to T. elusius, but larger and very much darker in coloration, the upper parts being dull chestnut instead of buffy whitish. This Pocket Gopher needs no comparison with either T. talpoides from Dakota or T. fulvus from Arizona, the small size of its fore feet being sufficient to distinguish it at a glance from these species. Color. — Upper parts uniform dull chestnut; circle around ear black- ish; tail and feet soiled whitish; under parts plumbeous, strongly washed with fulvous. Record of specimens collected of Thomomys elusius fuscus. U. S. National Museum No. 6 "a a M 'E O Locality. Date. Sex. M P o H a g u '3 H "o Skin. Skull. T3 a K 23673 24304 31067 31708 31068 30955 31065 30954 31069 31066 31217 31216 31215 31218 31219 31671 31672 31673 30700 30701 30698 30699 30697 30595 30587 1613 1614 1615 1616 1617 1618 1619 1626 1656 1657 1711 1762 1763 *1847 1848 1930 85 86 87 88 89 1448 ■1452 Salmon River Mountains, Idaho.. ....do Aug. 20, 1890 ....do d 9 d 9 9 9 9 9 ?.— 9 9 im.. 9 d 9 9 $ im.. d.— 9 9 -- ■ 9 ?.... d---- d im.. 200 162 200 197 194 192 178 188 208 178 148 192 191 215 205 192 188 191 200 186 185 232 194 70 37 70 68 67 63 60 63 70 42 45 61 54 72 71 70 60 66 69 63 65 75 66 26 26 23674 ....do Aug. 21, 1890 ... do 26.5 23537 ...do 25 23671 ....do ....do 25 23536 ....do ....do 25 23675 ... do ....do 24 23672 ...do Aug. 23, 1890 Aug. 25, 1890 ....do 25 23817 23816 ....do ....do 26 24 23815 ....do ....do 21.5 23818 Sept. 3,1890 do 25 23819 do 25 24267 24268 Mountains at Head of Big Lost River, Idaho. ....do Sept. 23, 1890 ....do 27 29 24269 Oct. 3, 1890 July 31, 1890 ....do 26 23243 23244 Lost River Mountains, Idaho ...do 26 28 23241 .do ....do 26 23242 ....do ...do 26 23240 23150 ....do Aug. 1,1890 July 16, 1890 July 17, 1890 26 31 23142 .. do 26 *Type. July, 1891.1 MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 71 Dipodops ordii Woodhouse. Orel's Kaugaroo Rat. A Kangaroo Eat provisionally referred to this species is common throughout the Sonoran zone of Idaho, inhabiting sandy places in the Snake Plains and its northward prolongations between the mountains. It was noticed in Birch Creek and Lemhi Valleys, and in Big Lost, Lit- tle Lost, Pahsimeroi, Round or Challis, aud Autelope Valleys. Record of specimens collected of Dipodops ordii. U. S. National Museum No. Skin. Skull. 23103 30518 . 23099 30544 23102 30547 23088 30534 230.-9 30535 23104 30519 23098 30513 23101 30546 23100 30545 23092 30538 23093 30539 23091 30537 23090 30536 23087 30533 23369 30829 23370 30830 24036 31452 | 24037 31453 i 141C 1423 1424 1425 1426 1427 1431 1432 1433 1443 1444 1450 22 28 1561 1565 1840 1842 Locality, Date. Sex. Black loot, Idaho July 10,1890 ....do July 11,1890 ...do ...do ...do .. do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do ...do Birch Creek, Idaho. ...do . Challis, Idaho ...do July 12, 1890 ...do ...do July 13, 1890 ...do ....do July 15,1890 ....do July 16, 1890 July 14, 1890 July 15, 1890 Aug. 7,1890 ....do d1---. ?.... '3 H 221 128 237 144 242 136 223 132 197 110 188 105 192 108 188 102 233 137 236 139 198 111 | 184 101 i 246 137 242 140 259 148 252 143 255 139 250 138 w 39 40 42 39 39 38 39 39 40.5 40 39 36 39 39 40 42 40 40.5 Perognathus olivaceus Merriam. Pocket Mouse. Perognathus olivaceus Merriam, N. Am. Fauna, No. 1, October, 1889, pp. 15-1(5 (type from Kelton, Utah). Common throughout the Sonoran zone in Idaho, living in small colo- nies in burrows in the gravel benches. Specimens were captured in Lemhi Valley near the Indian Agency and near Junction, and in Birch Creek Valley at Johnston's ranch 10 kilometers (10 miles) south of Nich- olia. Several were trapped in the Pahsimeroi Valley, and others at Blackfbot and Big Butte on the Snake Plains. All of the Idaho specimens are a little smaller than true P. olivaceus from northern Utah. 72 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. Record of specimens collected of Perognathus olivaceus. [No. 5. IT. S. National Museum No. 0 Skiu. SkulL o 22994 30440 17 23097 30542 29 2309G 30541 37 23476 30894 1569 23547 30965 1598 23516 309G4 1599 23834 31234 1742 23837 31237 1780 23836 31236 1822 23835 31235 1823 Locality. Blackfoot, Idaho ...do Big Butto, Idaho Birch Creek, Idaho ...do ...do Lemhi Indian Agency, Idaho Pahsimeroi Valley, Idaho ...do ...do Date. July 13, 1890 July 15, 1890 July 19, 1890 Aug. 9, 1890 Aug. 14, 1890 ....do Sept. 2,1890 Sept. 13, 1890 Sept. 17, 1890 ...do Sex. cf... <$--- 9 — J- - cf im ?;■- ? ad cf.-. cT-.- $ im 147 1G7 169 161 150 151 16G 174 174 160 74 63 64 85 80.5 86 90 95 95 85 W 20 23 22.5 21.5 22 22 21 22 23 21.5 Erethizon epixanthus Brandt. Yellow-haired Porcupine. Common throughout the mountaius of central Idaho. In Saw Tooth Mountains their guawings were most frequently noticed on Pinus mur- rayana, and rather low down. In a canon in the LostEiver Mountains Mr. Basil Hicks Dutcher encountered a Porcupine sitting in a shady nook under a rocky cliff" screened by undergrowth. The specimen was ineserved. A dead Porcupine was found in the sage brush near the sink of Birch Creek. Tracks were seen in the canon of Snake River near Shoshone Falls, and on the Brunneau Mountains between Idaho and Nevada. August 10, 1872, I killed a female Porcupine at Henry Lake (skull No. 12405, U. S. Nat. Mus.). Record of specimens collected of Erethizon epixanthus. TJ. S. National Museum No. 6 'a a O Locality. Date. Sex. "So a a o H '3 H o Skin. Skull. r3 a W 23713 31107 30625 1518 1489 Lost River Mountains, Idaho July 30, 1890 July 22, 1890 ? 740 187 89 Zapus hudsonius (Ziramermann). Jumping Mouse. Common in moist places along the lower part of the Canadian or Douglas fir zone of the Salmon Eiver Mountains, and probably through- out the coniferous forests of Idaho. Several were caught in traps set for shrews in a marsh bordering a beaver pond. This form differs from the common Jumping Mouse of the eastern United States in having the skull broader and shorter, and the brain case more highly inflated. The buffy ochraceous color of the sides is somewhat paler than in eastern specimens and very much paler than in those from the Pacific coast region. July, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. Record of specimens collected of Zapns hitdsonius. 73 TJ. S. National Museum No. Skin. Skull. 23538 30956 23539 30957 23540 30958 23799 31199 23800 31200 1634 1665 1675 1718 1733 Locality. Salmon River Mountains, Idaho ...do ...do ...do ...do Date. Aug. 23, 1890 Aug. 25, 1890 Aug. 26, 1890 Aug. 29, 1890 Aug. 31, 1890 fl 82 M ■a Sex. P u > a o ei H H 1 ? 231 140 ? 222 134 d 222 135 rf ad.. 232 140 1 246 152 Lagomys princeps Richardson. Rocky Mountain Pika. The Rocky Mountain Pika is common in the rock slides of the Boreal Province in Idaho. In the Salmon River, Pahsinieroi, aud Saw Tooth Mountains we found it ranging from the Canadian zone to within a short distance of the summits of the highest peaks. It was encoun- tered most abundantly in the neighborhood of timber line, between the altitudes of 3,050 aud 3,350 meters (10,000 and 11,000 feet), perhaps because suitable rock slides are most frequent at this elevation. The lowest colony discovered in the Salmon River Mountains inhabited a mass of volcanic slide rock surrounded by Douglas fir and Murray pine on the east slope of the range at about 2,G20 meters (8,000 feet). In a narrow' part of the valley of Big Wood River, near its headwaters, a few individuals were found in slides as low as 2,255 meters (7,400 feet). It was observed also in the mountains between the headwaters of Big Lost River and Trail Creek. Pikas are noisy little creatures and are not likely to let anyone pass near by without making their presence known. Their cry lias been de- scribed as a 'bleat' resembling that of a young lamb, but the simile is strained. Their ordinary note is eh-eh, spasmodically ejaculated and several times repeated. Sometimes it is shriller and more like ee-ee, uttered many times in rapid succession. They are active, nimble little bodies, springing lightly from rock to rock, and running swiftly to and from their feeding grounds, often sev- eral hundred feet away. Their chief food-plant is a pretty little Arctic-alpine species (Geum roHsii) which forms mats of green among the rocks and bears conspicu- ous yellow flowers. This is their 'hay,' and they lay up large quanti- ties of it for winter use, depositing it in little heaps in the spaces between the rocks. These storehouses average about the size of a bushel measure and contain, in addition to the leaves aud flowers of Geum rossii, a few heads of purple Aster and a golden Senecio. The Pikas are very industrious. In early autumn they are constantly engaged in carrying hay to their storehouses except when interrupted by intruders, at whom they stare aud scold before plunging out of sight among the rocks. Soon after silence is restored they reappear, and 74 NOETH AMERICAN FAUNA. f No. 5. their cry may be heard from a hundred points. They crawl out upon the rocks and sit motionless for awhile, and if undisturbed soon return to their task of laying up food for winter. I have watched them by the hour while thus engaged, running rapidly to the side of the slide, gath- ering a mouthful of leaves, and returning as swiftly to deposit it in the usual place. For such short-legged animals their speed is surprising, as well as the long leaps they make from rock to rock, never losing their footing. Their movements are not attended by any noise, which cir- cumstance is due in part to the lightness of their bodies and in part to the dense pad of fur which covers the soles of their feet. The Pika probably remains active throughout the winter, during which period the great depth of snow covering its home keeps out the cold winds and prevents the temperature from falling very low. That it does not hibernate is evident from two facts : (1) It lays up large storehouses of food for winter use; (2) it does not become fat as winter approaches. One afternoon, about the 1st of September, Mr. Yernon Bailey and I carried our blankets up to a Lagomys slide above timber-line on the Salmon River Mountains and spent the night there. As darkness fell upon the mountains a storm set in. The wind blew a furious gale and rain began falling. Soon the rain changed to hail' and sleet, and finally to snow. Much to our surprise we heard the unmistakable cry of the Pikas at frequent intervals throughout the night. Whether they are usually nocturnal as well as diurnal, or whether the storm set them at work to move their storehouses to safer places, we have no means of knowing. In 1872 I collected this species in Teton Canon near the boundary between Idaho and Wyoming (No. Hii£ U. S. Nat. Mus.). Record of specimens collected of Lagomys princepa. U. S. National Museum No. d ■ "3 g 'G O Locality. Date. Sex. M n o H o Skin. Skull. <2 a H 23488 30906 30826 30905 30902 30903 31057 31058 31059 31207 31208 31206 31204 31212 31210 1585 121 140 147 148 1679 1680 1681 1685 1686 1687 1688 1689 1690 Aug. 11, 1890 Aug. 6,1890 Aug. 11, 1890 ...do d d ? ad.. $ ad., cf ad.. d ? d d d ■--■ d d ? (?)-- d 177 176 169 183 190 185 180 182 175 180 170 180 178 180 28 2336C ...do 29 23487 23484 ... do ..do 28 29.5 23485 do do 27 23663 ...do Aug. 26, 1890 do 30 23664 do 31 23665 ...do ....do 31 23807 do Aug. 27, 1890 do 31 23808 do 30 23806 do do 30 23804 ...do ....do 31 23812 do do 30 23810 ....do 31 July, 1891] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. Record of specimens collected of Lagomys princeps — Continued. 75 U. S. National Museum No. d % 3 .3 o Locality. Date. Sex. ti a i) "3 o H o Skin. Skull. H 23813 31213 31211 31209 31205 31214 30961 30904 309G2 309G3 31455 31787 31785 31786 30990 1691 1692 1693 1694 1731 174 175 176 177 1854 1941 1942 1943 Aug. 27, 1890 do "3 H o =2 P K a o «- a Skiu. Skull. o Kg 23900 23802 31310 31202 31201 31167 30506 31108 30705 31166 1736 1737 1738 1773 20 57 68 1755 Lemhi Indian Agency, Idaho Sept. 1,1890 ....do d d ? 9 ad.. 52 35 47 95 86 90 85 70 23801 ....do do 71 Lemhi Valley, Idaho Blackfoot, Idaho Big Lost River, Idaho Lost River Mountains, Idaho Lemhi Indian Agenoy.Idaho Sept. 5, 1890 July 13, 1890 July 24, 1890 July 29, 1890 Sept. 2,1890 23060 9 23714 232-19 9 ad.. 9 9 370 295 50 35 94 78 Lepus bairdii llayden. Snow-aboe Rabbit. Common in thickets in the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains. The first specimen secured was shot by Mr. Bailey on the high divide between Trail Creek and the headwaters of Big Lost River September 22. Several others were secured at Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake in Oc- tober. The latter were beginning to change from summer to winter pelage. Eecord of specimens collected of Lepus bairdii. IT. S. National Museum No. Original No. Locality. Date. Sex. .3 ti a e "a o H 8 £> Hi 9 "a H o H 4 Skin. Skull. a 5 31278 1827 raksirueroi Eiver, Idaho Sept. 15, 1890 $iin. Jilv, 1891.1 MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 81 Mazama montana Rafinesque. Muuutaiu Goat. Common on the higher peaks of the Saw Tooth and Salmon River Mountains, and said to be common on the Seven Devils. Seven were killed in the Saw Tooth Mountains west of Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake during our stay in early October, and fourteen were seen one day by a hunter named F. C. Parks. Ovis canadensis Shaw. Mountain Sheep. Common in the Salmon River and and Pahsimeroi Mountains, and occurring, though in smaller numbers, in the Saw Tooth Mountains. Said to be common in northern Idaho. Bison bison (Linnaeus). Buffalo. Bos bison Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., x, 1758, p. 72. Bos americanus Gmelin, Syst. Nat., xm, 1788, p. 204. Bison americanus Smith, Griffith's Cnvier, Vol. V, 1827, p. 374 (name first used in this form by Catesby, "Nat. Hist. Carolina, ir, 1754, App., 20, xxvm ") ; Allen, American Bisons, 1876,30 (et auctorum plurimorum). Skulls and skeletons of Buffalo were found in the valley of Birch Creek and Lemhi River, in Little Lost River Valley, and in the upper part of Pahsimeroi Valley, but the species is now extinct in Idaho, except when stragglers from the Yellowstone Park wander into the adjacent mountains near the boundary lioe between Idaho and Mon- tana. John K. Townsend, during his overland journey from St. Louis to Oregon in 1834, frequently met with small herds of buffalo in south- eastern Idaho and along Snake River. Many were killed for food and several calves were captured alive, but proved too unruly for pets. Under date of July 21, when near the site of old Fort Hall, lie states : " The buffalo appear even more numerous than when we came, and much less suspicious than common. The bulls frequently pass slowly along within a hundred yards of us, and toss their shaggy and fright- ful looking heads as though to warn us against attacking or approach- ing them." Two days later four or live Indian hunters connected with the expedition killed sixty buffalo for the meat, which was dried for the journey. A few were found along the northern border of the Snake Plains in south central Idaho (Townsend's Narrative, 1839, p. 96 +. For other interesting records see ibid., pp. 82, 87, 90, 93, 95. 96- 07, 115). Felis concolor Liun&ns. Panther; Mountain Lion. Occurs locally throughout Idaho. One was shot in Lemhi Valley in 1889, while feeding on the carcass of a cow. Lynx baileyi Merriam. Platean Wild Cat or Lynx. Common in places; particularly abundant in the lava canon of Snake River, where a fine specimen was caught, in a trap baited with a duck's head and wings. Lynx tracks were seen in the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains, but whether <>)' this species is not known. 26789— No, 5 6 82 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. Record of specimens collected of Lynx baileyi. [No. 6. U. S. National Museum No. 6 a M *E- O Locality. Date. "So a o 15 o •H i u > 'S3 H 4a SI ,° a S Skin. Skull. 24215 31628 31555 31554 30729 1966 1962 1963 1595 Shoshone Falls, Idaho do Oct. 10,1890 do 9 930 180 187 88 .do ....do Aug. 12, 1890 Vulpes macrourus Baird. Great-tailed Fox. Mr. Bailey saw a skin of a Red Fox at a ranch on tbe lower part of Birch Creek, where it was caught. It was in winter pelage and bright yellowish in color without trace of cross marks. Tracks of foxes were seen in the lower part of Birch Creek Valley and in the Saw Tooth Mountains. Canis nubilus Say. Timber Wolf. Said to be common in northern Idaho. A trapper named N. C. Linsley states that he and his partner killed forty wolves near Pend d'Oreille River during the winter of 18S8-'S9 (Forest and Stream, Octo- ber 10, 1889, p. 227). Canis latrans Say. Coyote; Prairie Wolf. Abundant throughout the sage plains ; heard howling nearly every night, and frequently seen in the daytime, particularly in early morning, skulking among the sagebrush or behind clumps of willows bordering streams. Record of specimens collected of Canis latrans. TJ. S. National Museum No. 6 a Skin. Skull. O 30726 1594 31556 1964 31557 1965 Locality Birch Creek, Idaho . . . Shoshone Palls, Idaho ...do Date. Auy. 12, 1890 Oct. 10,1890 ...do Sex. Lutra hudsonica (Lacejpede). Otter. Common along most of the streams and lakes of Idaho, and in the canons of Snake River. A female and young were captured on Birch Creek. The female weighed about 8£ kilograms (19 pounds avoir- dupois) and the young about 4£ kilograms (10 pounds avoirdupois). Both were fat. The stomach of the mother contained the head of a Mallard Duck (Anas bosckas) and parts of small fish that swarm in the JULT, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 83 creek. The Otter excrement found along the bank consisted almost en- tirely of fish scales and bones. Record of specimens collected of Lutra hudsonica. U. S. National Museum No. £ "A ~£ a |3> 'u o Locality. Date. Sex. J3 OS a a "3 o H 6 H a © > "3 o a W a o u a Skin. Skull. o °4068 31478 1596 167 Aug. 14, 1890 ...do ? ad.. $|im.. 1,150 985 463 386 137 113 21 24067 31*77 do Lutreola vison (Schreber). Mink. Common along most of the streams. Four were caught on Birch Creek. Record of specimens collected of Lutreola vison. U. S. National Museum No. 6 "3 a bo o Locality. Date. Sex. M © 3 o H £ H XI H 0 0 -d a 5 a 0 H O a Skin. Skull. 0 H cS W 23710 23709 31104 31103 31101 31102 1540 1551 1535 1547 Birch Creek, Idaho ....do Aug. 5,1890 Aug. 8,1890 Aug. 5,1890 Aug. 7,1890 ? 9 520 508 510 470 170 167 171 138 65 G6 61 14 12 23707 ....do 14 23708 ....do 59 13 Putorius longicauda Bonaparte. Long-tailed Weasel. Weasels, provisionally referred to this species, are common in the Saw Tooth, Pahsimeroi, and Salmon River Mountains and tracks were seen in the Brunneau Mountains. Three were shot in the daytime and several were caught in marten traps baited with birds, chipmunks, and red squirrels. I met one high up in the Salmon River Mountains, Sep- tember 5. He was in pursuit of a Richardson's Squirrel in a damp, moss-covered place in a dark spruce forest and stood bolt upright when he saw me. I wounded him with my auxiliary and he immediately emitted his powerful stench and disappeared in a hole at the root of a spruce. July 22, 1872, 1 collected a young Weasel in Teton Basin, Idaho (No. HtH U. S. Nat. Mus.). 84 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. Record of specimens collected of Putorius lonnicauda. [No. 5. F. S. National Museum No. a o Locality. Date. Sex. bJO a V o H 8 n ro H o Skin. Skull. =2 a 3 23493 23676 30911 31070 30977 31071 31190 31192 31191 31307 30620 122 168 1606 1620 1720 1721 1724 1814 Lost River Mountains, Idaho do Aug. 6,1890 Aug. 16, 1890 Aug. 19, 1890 Aug. 21, 1890 Aug. 30, 1890 ... do d im . d d 3 d im . d ad . ? 9 318 352 380 375 354 387 362 330 114 117 144 136 128 13'< 132 113 39 39 23559 23677 Salmon River Mountains, Idaho .. do 43 43 23790 23792 ....do do 41 43.5 23791 ...do .do 39 23903 Pahsimeroi Mountains, Idaho Sept. 16,1890 July 21, 1890 36 Mustela americana Turtou. Marten. Common in the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains. I caught one near Timber Creek in a trap baited with birds. Prospectors in the Saw Tooth Mountains complain of the depredations of Marten in carry- ing off their meat. Record of specimen collected of Mustela americana. U. S. National Museum No. 6 a 'S 'C O Locality. Date. Sex. ■a a o *^ O H a u H +3 o =2 a a a is o u o a Skin. Skull. o a 23907 31311 1700 Salmon River Mountains, Aug. 27, 1890 d im - 585 182 88 38 Mustela pennanti Erxleben. Fislier. Rare. A very handsome adult male Fisher was caught near Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake by Basil Hicks Dutcher, October 1, in a Marten trap baited with Chipmunks (Tamias quadrivittatus). It weighed 4,592 grams (10 pounds 2 ounces avoirdupois). Record of specimen collected of Mustela pennanti. U. S. National Museum No. 6 'A "3 .a o Locality. Date. Sex. 0 3 o H "es H o a a W a is o o a Skin. Skull. o a 24112 31531 1914 Saw Tooth Lake, Idaho... Sept. 30, 1890 cT ad.. 1,013 395 128 41 Spilogale saxatilis Merriain. Little Striped Skunk. A Little Striped Skunk believed to be this species is common in the cauons of Snake River, July, 1891.] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 85 In 1S72 I secured a skiu at Marsh Valley, in southern Idaho (No. 11130 U. S. Nat. Mus). Mephitis sp. ? Skunk. Apparently not common in the region traversed. A dead Skunk was found in the Salmon River Mountains but no specimens were caught. One was killed by a dog near Saw Tooth Lake in September. Taxidea americana (Boddaert). Badger. Abundant throughout the Snake River Plains and sage-covered val- leys, sometimes ranging up the mountains as high as timber Hue. Bad- gers were found in unusual numbers about Timber Creek on the head- waters of the Lemhi, and also near the head of the Pahsimeroi, and many were observed in the daytime. An old female shot in Birch Creek Valley, August 5, by Mr. Bailey, had in her stomach a number of bum- ble bees with their comb and young bees, and also a Pocket Gopher ( Thomomys). Badgers dig out Spermophiles, Chipmunks, Pocket Go- phers, and Mice. Record of specimens collected of Taxidea americana. U. S. National Museum No. 6 to .5 Tt °E O - Locality. Date. Sex. u 5 "a 'o H S J3 V u 1) k '3 H 0 a a c Is o En O Skiu. Skull. S a ■a h a W 23712 23 J 1 3110C 31105 31279 1522 1555 1828 Lost River Mountains, Idaho. July 31, 1890 Ang. 5,1890 Sept. 15, 1890 ? 9 ad.. go 770 139 143 110 118 35 44 ~ Pahsimeroi River, Idaho . .. Gulo hiscus (Linnaeus). Wolverine. The dead body of a Wolverine was found near Timber Creek in the Salmon River Mountains by Basil Hicks Butcher. The species was tolerably common in the Saw Tooth Mountains, where a trapper caught live last winter. One was killed on Blackfoot Mountains a few years ago, on what has been since known as Wolverine Creek. Record of specimen collected of (!ul<> luscus. U.S. National Museum No. d to a 3 M 'u o Locality. Date. Sex. bi R e "3 O a w A 1) u 0) k '5 H o Skin. Skull? <2 a 3 30912 An g. 19, 1890 86 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5 Procyou lotor (Linnaeus). Raccoon. Raccoons are common in the canons of Snake Eiver, where they feed largely on crayfish (Astacus gambelii). Ursus horribilis, Orel. Grizzly Bear. The Grizzly Bear is common in the Salmon Eiver and Saw Tooth Mountains, and is said to occur in the Blackfoot Mountains also. One was killed near our camp on Timber Creek in August. In 1872 several were seen in Teton Basin and an old female was killed in Teton Caiion, July 24 (skull No. 12397, U. S. Nat. Mus.). Grizzly Bears are said to be common in northern Idaho. John K. Townsend, in the narrative of his overland journey to Ore- gon in 1834, frequently speaks of Grizzly Bears and states that three were killed and several others seen in one day (July 10, 1834) near Blackfoot River. One of those killed had claws "seven inches in length," and "the spread of the foot, laterally, was ten inches." They were abundant and bold along Snake River, and several were killed. Lewis and Clark make frequent mention of Bears in the account of their memorable expedition across the continent. During the return journey they crossed Idaho along the course of the Kooskooskie (or Clearwater) in May and June, 1806. Under date of May 31, when en- camped on the lower Clearwater, they made the following important entry concerning the Bears of the region : " Two men visited the Indian village, where they purchased a dressed bear skin of a uniform pale reddish-brown color, which the Indians called yackah in contradistinction to hohhost, or the white bear. This remark induced us to inquire more particularly into their opinions as to the several species of bears ; and we therefore produced all the skins of that animal which we had killed at this place, and also one very nearly white, which we had purchased. The natives immediately classed the white, the deep and the pale grizly red, the grizly dark brown, in short, all those with the extremities of the hair of a white or frosty color, without regard to the color of the ground of the foil, under the name of hohhost. They assured us that they were all of the same species with the white bear ; that they associated together, had longer nails than the others, and never climbed trees. On the other hand, the black skins, those which were black with a number of entire white hairs intermixed, or with a white breast, the uniform bay, the brown, and light reddish brown, were ranged under the class yackkah, and were said to resemble each other in being smaller, and having shorter nails than the white bear, in climbing trees, and being so little vicious that they could be pursued with safety. This distinction of the Indians seems to be well founded, and we are inclined to believe — " First. That the white or grizly bear of this neighborhood form a distinct species, which moreover is the same with those of the same color on the upper part of the Missouri, where the other species are not found. Jul. Y, 1891] MAMMALS OF IDAHO. 87 " Second. That the black and reddish brown, etc., is a second species, eoually distinct from the white bear of this country as from the black bear of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which two last seem to form only one species. The common black bear are indeed unknown in this country, for the bear of which we are speaking, though in most respects similar, differs from it in having much finer, thicker, and longer hair, with a greater proportion of fur mixed with it, and also in having a variety of colours, while the common black bear has no intermixture or change of colour, but is of a uniform black." (Lewis and Clark Expd., Paul Allen Ed., 11, 1814, 303-304.) Becord of specimen collected of Ursus horribilis. U. S. National Museum No. 6 73 a M C Locality. Date. Sex. "Si a o o H a H ^> "3 H e Skin. Skull. <2 -a .a m 3127G 1677 Salmon River Mountains, Idaho Aug. 24, 1890 cT-- 1570 100 Ursus americanus Pallas. Black Bear. Common throughout most parts of Idaho. A large ' Cinnamon' Bear was killed near Timber Creek, Salmon River Mountains, while feeding on the carcass of a steer. Black Bears are common in the Salmon Kiver and Saw Tooth Mountains, where we saw many fresh tracks. In 1872 a male was killed at Henry Lake by the Haydeu Survey (skull No. 12398, U. S. Nat. Mus.). Lewis and Clark's remarks on the Black Bear are quoted under the preceding species. Record of specimens collected of Ursus americanus. V. S. National Museum No. 6 'A 73 a M o 1593 L678 Locality. Date. Sex. tii a o H 8 u V u e V '3 H 0 Skin. Skull. <2 T3 a 5 30728 31277 Lost River Mountains, Idaho Salmon River Mountains, Idaho Aug. 1,1890 A ug. 21,1890 ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED IN IDAHO DURING THE SUM- MER AND FALL OF 1890, WITH NOTES ON SPECIES PREVIOUSLY RECORDED FROM THE STATE. [The nomenclature adopted is that of the American Ornithologists' Union.] Colyrnbus auritus. Horned Grehe. Abundant on Saw Tooth Lake during the latter part of September and early October, moving about the lake in pairs, small companies, and large flocks. At least 100 were seen October 1. They were unusu- ally free from suspicion, coming so near shore as to be easily killed, and GO were counted from camp at one time. Urinator imber. Loon. One seen on Saw Tooth Lake, October 2. It seemed inquisitive about our camp tire and several times came within easy gunshot range. Larus (californicus?). Gall. 1 saw a Gull, believed to be this species, on Salmon River, near Chal- lis, September 20. Sterna forsteri. Forster'a Tern. Not observed by our party. In 1872 I secured a pair of Forster's Terns on Marsh Creek, in southern Idaho, June 30. Phalacracorax dilophus cincinatus. White-crested Cormorant. Several Cormorants, probably this form, were seen at Lewis Ferry, on Snake River, October 11. Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. White Pelican. Not seen by our party. Found at Henry Lake in 1872 by the Ilayden Survey, and on Bear River in 1834 by Townsend (Towuseud's Narrative, 1839, p. 82). The name 'Pelican Lake,' near the southeastern cor- ner of the map of Idaho, implies the presence of this species at that point. Merganser serrator. Red-breasted Merganser. Several small flocks seen on Saw Tooth Lake. Anas boschas. Mallard. Breeds commonly on Birch Creek, where young unable to fly were killed the first week in August. Tolerably common on most of the streams visited during the latter part of August and throughout Sep- tember. Several were shot on Birch Creek and Lemhi River in early 89 90 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. lNo.5. Septemoer, and six on Saw Tooth or Altnras Lake October 4. There were large flocks of ducks on the lake at the time, but we could not be sure of the species. In 1872 I obtained young Mallards on Henry Fork of Snake River the middle of July. Townsend recorded the Black Duck (Anas obscura) from southeastern Idaho in 1834, but undoubtedly mistook the female Mallard for that species. Anas strepera. Gad wall. Not found by our party. In 1872 I found the Gadwall at Marsh Creek and Market Lake, and procured its eggs at the former locality in June. Anas americana. Baldpate. One shot and several others seen on Lemhi River August 31, and two shot on Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake October 2. Three were killed on some warm springs in the canon of Snake River, near Shoshone Falls, October 9. Anas carolinensis. Green-winged Teal. Abundant in small flocks along most of the streams in the valleys of Birch Creek and Lemhi, Big and Little Lost Rivers, the Pahsimeroi, Big Wood, and Salmon Rivers. The Green-winged Teal breeds in the small streams in the mountains and moves down into the valleys during the latter part of the summer. Fifteen were shot in a few minutes on Bullberg Creek, at the head of Pahsimeroi Valley, September 12. When wounded they dive among the roots of the willows bordering the streams and are hard to find. Three were killed in the canon of Snake River, October 10, in a small flock of Blue- winged Teal. Anas discors. Bine-winged Teal. One was killed near the sink of Little Lost River, July 27. Two were shot and others seen on Saw Tooth Lake about October 1, and several were shot on the warm springs in the lava caiion of Snake River, near Shoshone Falls, October 9-11. Anas cyanoptera. Cinnamon Teal. Not obtained by our party. June 29, 1872, I collected a nest con- taining nine eggs of this species at Marsh Creek, in southeastern Idaho. Spatula clypeata. Shoveller. Not observed by us, but recorded by Townsend from Bear River, in southeastern Idaho, more than half a century ago (Townseud's Narra- tive, 1838, p. 82). Aythya americana. Redhead. One shot on Saw Tooth Lake, September 27. Branta canadensis. Canada Goose. Not observed by our party. In July 1834, J. K. Townsend found this species near Snake River, in eastern Idaho (Townsend's Narrative, 1839, 99). Geese are common in northern Idaho. July, 1891] BIRDS OF IDAHO. 91 Olor buccinator. Trumpeter Swan. Capt. Charles E. Bendire informs me that he found the Trumpeter Swan breeding on Henry Lake, Idaho, in 1877. In August of that year, during the Nez Perce campaigu, he observed several broods of young on the lake and shot two. In 1872, when on the Hayden Survey, I procured two Trumpeter Swans near Jackson Lake, on Snake River, in Western Wyoming, Sep- tember 23 (Nos. 62367 and 62368, U. S. National Museum). Ardea herodias. Great Bine Heron. Common on Snake Eiver in July and August. Several were seen on Birch Creek in August, one on Salmon River, near Challis, September 20, and another on Snake River in October. Grus mexicana. Sandhill Crane. Several Sandhill Cranes were heard on a large meadow near the lower end of Saw Tooth Lake, September 26. In 1872 the species was common along Henry Fork of Snake River early in August. Lewis and Clark found it along the Clearwater in May, 1806. Capt. Charles E. Bendire informs me that the Sandhill Crane breeds on Craig's Mountains, near Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where he found young in June, 1871 ; and that he found eggs on an island in Snake River, near Old's Ferry, in May, 1877. Townsend stated in the narrative of his overland journey to Oregon in 1834 that he found the Whooping Crane on Bear River in southeast- ern Idaho, but I do not feel justified in inserting the species without additional authority. Porzana Carolina. Sora. One seen and others heard in a marsh on Big Lost River, about 8 miles above Arco, July 26. Fulica americana. Coot. Two shot on Saw Tooth Lake, October 2. Phalaropus lobatus. Northern Phalarope. One shot and another seen by Mr. Basil Hicks Butcher on a small alpine lake at timber line in the Salmon River Mountains, September 5. Phalaropus tricolor. Wilson's Phalarope. Not observed by our party. In 1872 I shot a Wilson's Phalarope in Marsh Valley, southeastern Idaho, June 30. Recurvirostra americana. Avocet. Mr. Dutcher saw a bird on Saw Tooth Lake the latter part of Septem- ber which he believed to be an Avocet. In 1872 1 found the species on Henry Fork of Snake River in July. Himantopus mexicanus. Black-necked Stilt. Capt. Chas. E. Bendire tells me he found this species on Snake River, near Old's Ferry, in July, 1877. 92 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. (No. 5. Gallinago delicata. Wilson's Snipe. One shot and others seen on Salmon River, nearChallis, September 20. Ereunetes occidentalis. Western Sandpiper. A tiock of fifteen seen and several killed on Big Lost River, near Arco, July 25. Totanus solitarius. Solitary Sandpiper. A few were seen on Lemhi River and Birch Creek, and one on the muddy bank of a beaver pond in the Salmon River Mountains. Symphemia semipalmata inornata. Western Willet. In 1872 I shot a Willet on Henry Fork of Snake River, July 16. It breeds abundantly at Great Salt Lake. Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. Tolerably common on Birch Creek and Lemhi River. Captain Ben- dire found it breeding near Fort Lapwai, Idaho (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist, xix, 1877, 141). Numenius longirostris. Long-billed Curlew. About the middle of July Mr. Bailey saw three adults and a half- fledged .young near the point where the Blackfoot River emerges from the mountains. He says that the young was half covered with feathers and half down, that it looked like a small ostrich, and ran very fast. In 1872 1 found the Long-billed Curlew common in places on the Sage Plains from southern Idaho to Henry Fork of Suake River. Captain Beudire records it as breeding near Fort Lapwai " on the high and dry prairies several miles from the nearest water." (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xix, 1877, p. 141.) .ffigialitis vocifera. Killdeer. Common along Snake and Blackfoot Rivers aud in Lemhi and Birch Creek valleys, and also in the valley of Big Wood or Malade River. Several were seen about the warm spriugs in the lava canon of Snake River, near Shoshone Falls, October 9-11. Colinus virginianus. Bob-white. The Eastern Quail or Bob-white has been introduced successfully near Boise City, Idaho. In the Auk for July, 1885 (p. 315), Dr. Timothy E. Wilcox, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. Army, published the following : "The Bob White (Ortyx virginianus) has been successfully introduced to the Boise Valley, Idaho. Three years since, I found a covey on the west side of the Snake River, fifty miles below Boise City, where they were first liberated. I never saw coveys so large or numerous as I found them about Boise. Cover and food, as well as climate, are all favorable." In the American Field of February 16, 1889, p. 148, Mr. Newton Hibbs, of Boise City, states : " Twelve years ago the business men of Boise valley secured a coop July, 1891] BIRDS OF IDAHO. 93 of the little beauties from the East aud gave them the liberty of the brushy borders of the wheat fields and the willows along the creeks and rivers. They have increased till now they are found in every suit- able ground for fifty miles around. The meadows and grainfields are bordered by the finest kind of cover. There is no heavy timber in this valley ; only cottonwoods and balms on the water courses, with a very jungle of briarberry bushes on every hand." Dendragapus obscurus richardsonii. Richardson's Grouse ; Blue Grouse. Abundant in the coniferous forests of the Saw Tooth, Pahsimeroi, and Salmon River Mountains. It was usually found in small flocks, in which young birds predominated. This Grouse feeds extensively on a yellow- ish-red currant or gooseberry, and was sometimes found on open hill- tops engaged in catching grasshoppers. The crops of those killed con- tained grasshoppers and a few other insects, berries ot Arctostaphylos uva-ursi aud Ribes cereum, besides green leaves of the willow and other bushes. In 1872 I found this Grouse common along the upper part of Henry Fork of Snake River in early August. Capt. Charles E. Bendire informs me that the Pacific coast form of this Grouse (Dendragapus o. fuUyinosus) occurs in the Boise Mountains aud in the foothills of the Wiser Valley Mountains, aud that specimens from the mountains near Fort Lapwai may be referred to the same form. Dendragapus franklini. Franklin's Grouse. Said to occur in the Saw Tooth Mountains, where it is known as the 'Fool Hen,' and to be common in northern Idaho. Bonasa umbellus togata. Canadian Ruffed Grouse. Several Ruffed Grouse were killed in the Salmon River Mountains, near Eight-Mile Canon, September I. The species was not seen else- where. Pediocaetes phasianellus columbianus. Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse. The only Sharp-tailed Grouse seen during the entire season was killed in a flock of Sage Hens near the Lemhi Indian Agency, August 31. In 1872 I found it near Fort Hall and on Portneuf aud Snake Rivers. Captain Bendire states: "In the winter I have seeu flocks of from one to two hundred iu the vicinity of Fort Lapwai, Idaho." (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xix, 1877, p. 139.) Centrocercus urophasianus. Sage Grouse. Abundant throughout the sage plains and valleys, usually occurring in flocks of a dozen or more. This species furnished us with fresh meat during the greater part of the trip. While the flesh of the adults was usually more or less flavored with sage, the young, as a rule, were free from this taste. In 1872 1 found Sago Hens common in Teton Basin, along Henry Fork of Snake River, aud at Henry Lake, 94 NOKTH AMERICAN FAUNA. |No.5. Zenaidura macroura. Mourning Dove. Common everywhere until October ; afterward rarely seen. Three nests containing two eggs each were found on the ground near Black- foot about the middle of July. Cathartes aura. Turkey Vulture. Common along Snake Eiver in July ; three seen on Big Lost River, near Arco, July 25; common about the sink of Birch Creek during the early part of August ; a few seen at the Lemhi Indian Agency, several in the Pahsimeroi and Challis Valleys, and others along Snake Biver, and thence south into Nevada. Mr. Bidgway records this species from 'City of Bocks,' southern Idaho, October 3, 1868 (Bull. Essex Inst., vol. vn, 1875, p. 24). Circus hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. Common along the Lemhi and Birch Creek Valleys, and in the val- leys of Little Lost, Pahsimeroi, Salmon, and Snake Bivers. An imma- ture male shot in Lemhi Valley September 6 was more than half blue. Its stomach contained a Chipmunk (Tamias minimus pictus). Other stomachs examined contained remains of Spermophilus townsendi and Neosorex. One was seen at Saw Tooth Lake about October 1. Capt. Charles E. Beudire found the eggs of this species near Fort Lapwai, June 15, 1871 (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. xix, 1877, p. 134). Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Tolerably common in the wooded regions. A young male shot in the Salmon Biver Mountains, August 28, contained a Black-capped Warbler (Sylvania pusilla pileolata). One was seen as late as October 10 at Shoshone Falls on Snake Biver. Accipiter cooperi. Cooper's Hawk. A few seen in the mountains and in the valley of Birch Creek and the Lemhi. Captain Beudire states that he has found it breeding about Fort Lapwai, Idaho (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xix, 1877, 135). Accipiter atricapillus. Goshawk. Common in the Salmon Biver and Saw Tooth Mountains, where sev- eral were killed. One was caught at Saw Tooth Lake in a marten trap baited with a Richardson's Squirrel, and one was shot in Birch Creek Valley in the act of chasing chickens. Buteo borealis calurus. Western Red-tail. Common along Big Lost Biver below Arco the latter part of July. A number of empty nests were seen iu the cotton woods bordering the river, and young of the year were flying about. The stomach of one contained a Spermophilus townsendi. Bather rare elsewhere. Buteo swainsoni. Swainson's Hawk. Rather rare ; one was killed 15 miles below Arco, July 22 ; a pair of old birds and a young just out of the nest were found on Birch Cregk July,1891.J BIRDS OF IDAHO. 95 during the early part of August; an adult was observed catching grasshoppers on a bluff' near Fort Lemhi in September, and still another near the head of the Pahsimeroi. In 1872 I found a nest of Swainson's Hawk near Fort Hall, July 9. It was in a scrub cedar, and contained one young bird and one egg. Aquila chrysaetos. Golden Eagle. Two or three Golden Eagles were observed at different times in the Salmon Eiver Mountains and in Lemhi and Birch Creek Valleys. Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Bald Eagle. An adult White-headed Eagle was seen at Saw Tooth Lake, October 1, and another at Shoshone Falls on Snake Eiver, October 10. Falco mexicanus. Prairie Falcon. Mr. Bailey found this species breeding in cliffs in the Blackfoot Mountains the early part of July, and shot one in the act of chasing a chicken in the lower part of Birch Creek August 7 ; its stomach con- tained a Horned Lark (Otocoris). A hawk supposed to be this species was seen in the upper part of the Pahsimeroi Valley, September 12. Several were seen on the lower part of Big Lost River about July 22. In Birch Creek Valley they breed on lava cliffs, and were often seen chasiug Teal up and down the creek. Falco sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. Common everywhere, feeding chiefly on grasshoppers. During the last week in July these hawks were observed feeding their young in the Lost River Mountains. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis. Fish Hawk ; Osprey. Two or three Fish Hawks were seen flying south along the valley of Bircb Creek the latter part of August; several were noticed on Salmon Eiver between Challis and the mouth of the Pahsimeroi September 18-20; and the species was observed several times at Saw Tooth Lake the last week in September. There is a Fish Hawk's nest at Shoshone Falls on Snake River. It occupies the summit of a pinnacle of black basalt that rises from the water close to the top of the fall, on the south side. We were told that the nest was used the past season. In 1872 I found a nest of this species on Henry Fork of Snake River, and Capt. Charles E. Bendire found a nest near Fort Lapwai in 3870 (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xix, 1877,131). Asio wilsonianus. Loug-eared Owl. Mr. Clark P. Streator killed a female Long-eared Owl as she flew from a cave in the lava beds west of Blackfoot, July 17. In 1872 I shot a female on Devil Creek, June 28. Capt. Charles E. Bendire says that this owl at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, occupies old nests of Crows, and also breeds in hollow cottonwood trees (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. xix, 1877, p. 131). 96 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. Asio accipitrinus. Short-eared Owl. Not observed by us. Capt. Charles E. Bendire says of the Short- eared Owl: "This species breeds about Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where I took two of their nests on May 1 and 6, 1871. Both were found in swampy places, and constructed of dry grasses and a few feathers " (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. xix, 1877, p. 131). Megascops flammeolus idahoensis subsp. nov. Dwarf Screech Owl. The only specimen procured of this new owl was shot on a mountain on the west side of Big Wood River, only a few miles north of Ketchum, September 22. It may be distinguished from the Flamtuulated Owl by the following description : MEGASCOPS FLAMMEOLUS IDAHOENSIS subsp. nov. (Plate I, colored.) Type No. 119654 $ ad. U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture col- lection). From Ketchum, Idaho, September 22, 1890. Collected by C. Hart Merriam and Vernon Bailey. Similar to M. flammeolus, but smaller and paler. Wing, 125 mm; tail, 62 mm (measured from insertion of middle feathers). The back is only slightly paler than in flammeolus ; the under parts are very much paler, the ground color being white and the vermiculations distant ; the black markings are everywhere restricted. The facial ring is bright tawny ochraceous, and spreads out above so as to completely encircle the eyes ; the cheeks are ash-gray and the chin white. The dusky spots in the facial ring are inconspicuous ; in true flammeolus they are strongly developed, sometimes forming a black ring which is merely tinged with tawny. The black spots on the sides are very much reduced in size, and seem to be arranged in a single row. Bubo virginianus subarcticus. Western Horned Owl. Capt. Charles E. Bendire tells me that he shot this subspecies in 1871 at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where it breeds, and also at Fort Sherman, CoBur d'Alene Lake, in 1880. Bubo virginianus saturatus. Dusky Horned Owl. Common in the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains. One was caught in a steel trap baited with ducks' heads and wings at Saw Tooth Lake, September 30. It could not have been very hungry when it got into the trap for its stomach contained two Pocket Gophers ( Thomomys), one White-footed Mouse (Hesperomys), one Field Mouse or Vole (Ar- vicola), and a new species of Phenacomys. Nyctea nyctea. Snowy Owl. A mounted specimen of the Snowy Owl was seen at the post-office at Birch Creek, and another in a ranch near by. We were informed that they were killed there in winter. The Hawk Owl (Sumia tylula caparoch) unquestionably breeds in northern Idaho. August 11 , 1872, I shot one on Madison River, MonT tana, only a few miles from #}e Idaho boundary. July, 1891. J BIRDS OF IDAHO. 97 Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea. Burrowing Owl. Rare. A few were seen near Blackfoot in July, sitting at the mouths of old badger holes ; and one was killed at Big Butte, July 18. Its stomach contained insects and several small scorpions. Iu 18715 I collected specimens of this owl in Malade Valley and Port- ueuf Canon, and at Fort Hall. Capt. Charles E. Bendire states that they are abundant at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where he obtained a num- ber of their eggs. (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. xix, 1877, p. 132.) Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. Common along Snake River and most of the streams visited, and also about some of the beaver ponds and the lakes at the east foot of the Saw Tooth Mountains. Dryobates villosus hyloscopus. Cabanis's Woodpecker. Tolerably common in the spruce and fir forests of the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains, and in the upper part of Wood River Val- ley j a few were seen among the trees along Birch Creek. Dryobates pubescens. Downy Woodpecker. One seen in some burnt timber in the upper part of Wood River Valley. Xenopicus albolarvatus. White-headed Woodpecker. I am informed by the Rev. Leroy T. Weeks that this handsome wood- pecker is a common breeder at Graugeville, near Mount Idaho, not far from the western border of Idaho. Captain Bendire has recorded the species as breeding in the pine forests of the Blue Mountains in eastern Oregon, a locality not far distaut from Graugeville, Idaho. Picoides arcticus. Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. A male was shot at Saw Tooth Lake, October 3, by Basil Hicks Dutcher. Picoides americanus dorsalis. Alpine Three-toed Woodpecker. One was shot and several others seen in the Salmon River Mountains. Ceophlceus pileatus. Pileated Woodpecker. Rare. A fine male Pileated Woodpecker was shot by Mr. Bailey in the Salmon River Mountains, near Birch Creek, August 19. No others were seen. Rev. Leroy T. Weeks writes me that the species occurs near Mount Idaho, but is rare. Melanerpes torquatus. Lewis's Woodpecker. Not observed during the present season. In 1872 [ found it common on Henry Fork of Snake River about the middle of July and secured three specimens. J. K. Towuseud found this species along Bear River in extreme southeastern Idaho in July, 1834 (Townsend's Narrative, 1839, p. 82). Capt. Charles E. Bendire tells me that it breeds commonly about Fort Lapwai, Idaho. 2G789— No. 5 7 98 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. lNo.5. Colaptes cafer. Red-shafted Flicker. A few were seen along Snake River, near Blaekfoot, in July, and at Big Butte, several aloug the lower part of Big Lost River, and many in the Lost River Mountaius. A few were seen afterward in the Sal- mon River and Saw Tooth Mountains, the latter as late as the first week in October. Several were seen in the lava canon of Suake River, near Shoshone Falls, October 9-11. Phaleenoptilus nuttalli. Poor-will. One was killed on the lava beds west of Blaekfoot, July 17, by Mr. Basil Hicks Dutcher ; and the species was heard in a caiion in the Lost River Mountaius the last week in July. A single individual was seen in Birch Creek Valley early in August. The first eggs of this species ever discovered were collected by me in the western foothills of the Wahsatch Mountains, June 12, 1872. Chordeiles virginianus henryi. Western Nightkawk. Tolerably common on the sage plains and valleys. Mr. Dutcher found a set of eggs uear Blaekfoot, July 14, and a downy young was taken at Arco, July 25. , Trochilus platycercus. Broad-tailed Hummingbird. A female was killed at Big Butte, July 19. Trochilus sp. A large Hummer, showing much rufous in flying, was seen several times along the lower part of Big Lost River and in Lemhi aud Birch Creek Valleys. Tyrarmus tyrannus. Kingbird. Common in July along Snake River, near Blaekfoot, aloug Cedar Creek in the Blaekfoot Mountains, and along the lower part of Big Lost River. Common along Birch Creek about the middle of August (sev- eral seen August 21). In 1872 Kingbirds were common at Fort Hall and along Suake River and Henry Fork. I found a nest containing nearly fledged young on Blaekfoot River, July 12, and one containing three fresh eggs on Snake River two days later. Tyrannus verticalis. Arkansas Kingbird. One seen at Big Butte and several along Big Lost River in July. In 1872 I found it common along Devil Creek, in southeastern Idaho, and secured two nests containing eggs June 28. Capt. Charles E. Bendire says of this flycatcher : "At Fort Lapwai, Idaho, this species was very familiar and tame, several pairs breeding about the buildings of the post. One pair placed its nest on the sill of one of the attic windows of my quarters " (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. xix, 1877, p. 127). Sayornis saya. Say's Phcebe. Common in the lower Lemhi Valley. Capt. Charles E. Bendire says of Say's Pewee : "At Fort Lapwai, Idaho, I found several of their nests about the July. 1891.1 BIRDS OF IDAHO. ifJJ buildings iii the post, iii fissures of rocks, aud in old Cliff Swallows' nests. I have taken their eggs as early as April 17, 1871, containing then small embryos " (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xix, 1877, p. 127). Contopus borealis. Olive-sided Flycatcher. Not observed by our party. In 1872 I shot two Olive-sided Fly- catchers in Teton Canon, near the boundary between Idaho and Wy- oming, July 27. Contopus richardsoni. Western Wood Pewee. Found in the Salmon River Mountains during the early part of Au- gust. Not seen after the middle of the mouth. This species was col- lected by me in Teton Canon, in eastern Idaho, July 27, 1872. Empidcnax pusillus. Little Flycatcher. One was killed along the lower part of Big Lost River in July, and two on Birch Creek in August (August 4, $ ; August 15, 9 ). In 1872 1 shot one of these flycatchers on Devil Creek, June 28. Empidonax wrightii. Wright's Flycatcher. One was killed on Birch Creek, August 4. Otocoris alpestris areuicola. Desert Horned Lark. Abundant throughout the sage plains and valleys. Adult males killed in July and August closely resemble the eastern subspecies, praticola, but the immature aud spotted young are widely different, being very pale, while those of praticola are very dark. Pica pica hudsonica. Magpie. One of the most abundant and conspicuous birds of Idaho, occurriug throughout the sage plains and valleys and extending up into the lower part of the Douglas fir zone. A dozen or more were often seen together aud it was not unusual to count 20 or even 25 in sight at one time. Magpies were common at Saw Tooth Lake after snowfall in October, and undoubtedly winter in the neighborhood. Four were caught in our marten traps. They feed on carrion when other food is scarce, if not by preference. Half a dozen were seen perched on the body of a dead salmon in shallow water in Salmon River, near the mouth of the Pahsimeroi, September 18. They were hard at work tearing off and devouring the flesh. Several were seen in the canon of Snake River at Shoshone Falls, October 9-11, and thence south to the East Humboldt River, Nevada, every day until October 17, when the expedition disbanded. In 1872 I fouud Magpies common in Portneuf Canon, at Pocotello, at Fort Hall, and on Snake River. Cyanocitta stelleri annectens. Long-crested Jay. Very rare. One was seen in the Salmon River Mountains, one near the Lemhi Indian Agency, one in the upper part of Wood River Val- ley, and three were seen and two secured near Saw Tooth Lake. In 1872 1 found this jay common in the Teton Basin, near the boun- dary line between Idaho and Wyoming. 100 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. lNo.5. Aphelocoma woodhousei. Wooclbouse's Jay. Not met with by our expedition. Recorded by Mr. Ridgway as abun- dant in cedar and pinon at 'City of Rocks, 'in extreme southern Idaho, October 3, 1868 (Bull. Essex. Inst., vol. vn, No. 1, January, 1875, p. 24). Perisoreus canadensis capitalis. Rocky Mountain Jay. Tolerably common in the spruce and fir belt of the Salmon River Mountains, and also about the divide between Big Lost River and Trail Creek. Half a dozen were caught in marten traps in the Saw Tooth Mountains. In July, 1872, I fouud this jay in numbers in Teton Caiion. Corvus corax sinuatus. Raven. Common along the lava canon of Snake River, and seen occasionally on the Snake Plains and in Birch Creek Valley and the valleys of the Pahsimcroi and Salmon Rivers. Two were seen at Castle Rock, on the plains south of Snake River, and a number along the north base of the Brunneau and Elk Mountains near the boundary between Idaho and Nevada. A flock of about 40 Ravens was seen at Humboldt Wells, Ne- vada, October 17. Mr. Ridgway found Ravens common at ' City of Rocks/ near the southern border of Idaho, October 3, 1868 (Bull. Essex. Inst., vn, 1875, p. 24). Corvus americanus. Crow. Common in Lemhi Valley, particularly at a point a few miles north of Junction, in August and early in September. A few were seen at Saw Tooth Lake the last week in September. Capt. Charles E. Ben- dire tells me that Crows breed commonly in the neighborhood of Fort Lapwai, Idaho. Picicorvus columbianus. Clark's Nutcracker. Common in the spruce belt on all the mountains visited. Several were caught in marten traps baited with meat. J. K. Townsend met with this species in the mountains near Bear River, in the southeastern corner of Idaho, in July, 1834. (Townsend's Narrative, 1839, p. 82.) Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus. Piiiou Jay. Not found by our party. Mr. Ridgway records the Piiion Jay as abundant among cedar and pihou at l City of Rocks' in extreme south- ern Idaho, October 3, 1868. (Bull. Essex Inst., vol. vn, No. 1, January 1875, p. 24.) Dolichonyx oryzivorus albinucha. Western Bobolink, One seen in an oat field in Lemhi Valley August 31. It was in fall plumage. Molothrus ater. Cowbird. A few seen on Big Lost River and Birch Creek, and one at Big Butte. Captain Bendire has found it breeding near the Palouse River in north- western Idaho. July, 1891. 1 BIRDS OF IDAHO. 101 Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed Blackbird. A few Yellow-headed Blackbirds were observed near the sinks of Big Lost River late in July, and again September 10— on the latter date in flocks of Brewer's Blackbird. In 1872 I found it breeding in Marsh Valley in southeastern Idaho, and secured a nest containing four nearly fresh eggs June 29. The nest was in a clump of rushes li meters (about 5 feet) above the water. It was composed of dry swamp grass without lining, and presented the same appearance inside as out. (Merriam, Hayden's Report for 1872, 1873, p. 686.) Agelaius phoeniceus. Red-winged Blackbird. Two were seen by Mr. Bailey July 12 on Cedar Creek in the foothills of the Blackfoot Mountains, and a few late in July on Big Lost River, above Arco. Sturnella neglecta. Western Meadowlark. Common throughout the sage plains and valleys, remaining in con- siderable numbers until after snowfall in October. Usually heard sing- iug in the early morning. Icterus bullocki. Bullock's Oriole. A pair seen on Snake River, near Blackfoot, about the middle of July, and many in the trees bordering Big Lost River, both above and below Arco, the latter part of the same month. In 1872 I found Bullock's Oriole breeding abundantly along Devil Creek in southeastern Idaho. Captain Bendire records it as an abun- dant breeder at Fort Lapwai, where he has seen " as many as five occu- pied nests on a single small birch tree." (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. xix, 1877, p. 122.) Scolecophagus cyanocephalus. Brewer's Blackbird. Abundant everywhere along the streams and about ranches and min- ing camps. Immense flocks, some containing fully a thousand birds, were seen in Lemhi Valley early in September. Brewer's Blackbird takes the place of the English Sparrow in the West, where it is almost invariably found in barnyards and towns, picking crumbs in the streets and dooryards with the utmost familiarity. Coccothraustes vespertina montana Ridgway. Evening Grosbeak. Capt. Charles E. Bendire informs me that he found Evening Gros- beaks about the lakes at the headwaters of the Payette River, in the mountains of central Idaho, in July, 1877. He saw the old birds car- rying food up into the tall pines. Pinicola enucleatcr. Pine Grosbeak. Breeds in the Salmon River Mountains and doubtless in most of the other high mountains of Idaho. An immature bird was shot and another seen near Timber Creek, in the Salmon River Mountains, the last week in August; and a red male was shot and six others seen September 5, near Eight-Mile Canon, in the same range. 102 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. IN0.5. Carpodacus cassini. C*ssin's Purple Finch. Oue shot at timber Hue ou the Salmon River Mountains August 29. It was in company with a small flock ofLeucostictes. Others were seen near the same place. Large flocks of a species of Carpodacus were seen feeding on seeds of wild sunflowers near the mouth of Little Lost Eiver, September 10. Leucosticte atrata. Black Lencosticte. Common high up on the Salmon River Mountains. I shot two imma- ture birds above timber line August 29, and saw several small flocks of young and adults at various times. Spinus triatis. Goldfinch. A few seen in July about the foothills of the Blackfoot Mountains. Common along Birch Creek about the middle of August. In 1872 I found this species common at Fort Hall in October. Spinus pinus. Pine Siskin. A few were found in the Salmon River Mountains and at Saw Tooth Lake. In 1872 I found Pine Siskins in numbers at First Cottonwood Creek, in Teton Basin, in July, and about Henry Lake early in August. Rhynchophanes mccownii. McCown's Longspur. An immature female was killed at the sink of Birch Creek August 6, by Mr. Bailey. Passer domesticus. English Sparrow. Mr. Clark P. Streator observed English Sparrows in the railroad town of Pocotello early in July. They undoubtedly followed the Utah Northern Railway from the valley of Great Salt Lake, where a large colony has been established for many years. Poocaetes gramineus confinis. Western Vesper Sparrow. Common in the sage brush along Snake River, in Birch Creek and Lemhi Valleys, and in the Pahsimeroi Valley ; seen also in the valley at the head of Salmon River, near Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake, about the end of September. Ammodramus sandwichensis alaudinus. Western Savanna Sparrow. Probably breeds in Birch Creek Valley, where three were killed August 4 and August 15. A few were seen in Lemhi Valley late in August and in early September. In 1872 I saw a flock of these sparrows, and shot one, on a small gravel island in Snake River, October 8. Chondestes grammacus strigatus. Western Lark Sparrow. Not common anywhere. A few were observed near the mouth of Little Lost River during the latter part of July, and again Septem- ber 10. Zonotrichia leucophrys. White-crowned Sparrow. Rather common in the Pahsimeroi Mountains the middle of Septem- ber; adults in full plumage were killed. July, 1891] BIRDS OF IDAHO. 103 Zonotrichia intermedia. Intermediate Sparrow. Common during fall migration. Dozens "were shot at Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake for marten bait the last week in September and first few days of October. Many were seen in the lava caiion of Snake River at Shoshone Falls, October 9-11. In 1872 I killed a specimen at Fort Hall, October 13. Spizella socialis arizonae. Western Chipping Sparrow. Tolerably common about the foothills of the Salmon River Mountains. Shot one at the head of Saw Tooth Lake, October 2 ; it was in a small flock of Juncos and Zonotrichias. In 1872 this species was found on Conant Creek and at Fort Hall, in July. Spizella breweri. Brewer's Sparrow. Common in the sage brush along the Snake Plains, and in Birch Creek and Lemhi Valleys. In 1872 I found a nest of Brewer's Sparrow in a sage brush on Co- nant Creek, Idaho, July 21. It contained three nearly fresh eggs. Junco hyemalis shufeldti. Rocky Mountain Junco. Common in the mountains during migration ; several seen in the canon of Snake River near Shoshone Falls, October 9-11. Junco annectens. Pink-sided Junco. Spotted young were killed high up in the Salmon River Mountains about the middle of August, and adults in fall plumage were found low down in the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains later in the season. Amphispiza belli nevadensis. Sage Sparrow. Breeds abundantly throughout the sage plains and in the valleys of Birch Creek and Lemhi River, and Big and Little Lost Rivers. It was particularly numerous along Snake River in October. Melospiza lincolni. Lincoln's Sparrow. One shot at an altitude of 2,960 meters (9,700 feet) in the Pahsimeroi /Mountains, September IG, and one caught in a small trap set for field mice (Arvicola) in marsh grass near the head of Saw Tooth Lake, Sep- tember 28. Melospiza fasciata montana. Mountain Song Sparrow. Common on Cedar Creek in the foothills of the Blackfoot Mountains, and a few seen along Snake River about the middle of July. Common in the willows along the streams in Lemhi and Birch Creek Valleys in August and early September ; several seen and one shot in the lava canon of Snake River at Shoshone Falls, October 9-11. In 1872 I found this Song Sparrow breeding along Henry Fork of Snake River, and secured several specimens at Fort Hall, October 12-14. Pipilo chlorurus. Green-tailed Towhee. Found in the mountains north of Arco and common in the canons of the Lost River Mountains. In 1872 I found it breeding on Conant Creek, Henry Fork of Snake River, and in Teton Basin. 104 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. lNo.5, Habia melanocephala. Black-headed Grosbeak. A few pairs were found breeding in the willows along Snake River near Biackfoot, and on the lower part of Big Lost River. In 1872 I found it breeding along First Cottonwood Creek in Teton Basin, and took a nest there containing two fresh eggs, July 22. Cap- tain Bendire reports it as breeding at Fort Lapwai, Idaho ( Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat, Hist., XIX, 1877, 121). Passerina amcena. Lazuli Bunting. Not observed by our party during the present season. In 1872 I found it common in the undergrowth bordering some of the streams in Teton Basin in July. Capt. Charles B. Bendire states that "in the vi- cinity of Fort Lapwai, Idaho, it is one of the most common species breeding there "(Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xix, 1877, 121). Calamospiza melanocorys. Lark Bunting. Half a dozen were seen in the sage plains west of Biackfoot, July 17, and three between Big Butte and Big Lost River, July 21. Piranga ludoviciana. Louisiana Tanager. Two were seen in the Lost River Mountains the last week in July. In 1872 I shot a male on Middle Fork of Snake River, August 4, and found the species common in Teton Caiion in July. Petrochelidon lunifrons. Cliff Swallow. Found breeding on the basaltic walls of the caiion of Biackfoot River about the middle of July. Also nests on the lava cliffs about 16 kilo- meters (10 miles) south of Nicholia, in Birch Creek Valley, and was ob- served at several other places before the middle of August. In July, 1872, I found this species in numbers at Fort Hall, and secured a nest containing two fresh eggs on Ross Fork, July 3. The nest was made of mud, and was fastened to the bank of the stream 2£ meters (about 8 feet) above the water. Chelidon erythrogaster. Barn Swallow. Mr. Bailey saw one near the foot of the Biackfoot Mountains July 12, and found a pair breeding at the ranch at Big Butte. A few were seen nearly every day in August in Birch Creek and Lemhi Valleys. They breed at Scott's ranch, near Nicholia, and at the Lemhi Indian Agency. During the early part of July, 1872, I found Barn Swallows in num- bers at Fort Hall. Tachycineta thalassina. Violet-green Swallow. Abundant along Snake River and Big Lost River in July. Common in Birch Creek Valley until the middle of August; a few seen after- ward. Clivicola riparia. Bank Swallow. Not noted by our party. In July, 1872, I found a colony of Bauk Swallows breeding on Henry Fork of Snake River. Ampelis garrulus. Bohemian Waxwing. Mr. Dwight J. Kenney, of Fort Lemhi, Idaho, states that the Bohe- mian Waxwing is common in winter in Lemhi Valley, and reminded me July, 1891.] BIRDS OF IDAHO. 105 of the circumstance that he sent me a specimen for identification sev- eral years ago, which fact I well remember. Ampelis cedrorum. Cedar Wax wing. Capt. Charles E. Bendire tells me that in 1871 he found the Cedar Waxwing breeding commonly about Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where he col- lected two of their nests June 19, and another June 26. Lanius borealis. Northern Shrike. The Great Northern Shrike was first seen October 16 near Mary River, in northern Nevada. Three individuals were observed on this day, and another near Humboldt Wells the day following. The latter was in pursuit of a small bird. October 12, 1872, I shot a Shrike of this species at Fort Hall, the only one seen during the season. Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides. White-rumpecl Shrike. Rather common along Snake River, near Blackfoot, in July; a few seen near Big Butte, along Big Lost River, and at the actual sink of Birch Creek. Rare elsewhere. One seen near Eagle Rock, August 21; one ill Little Lost River Valley September 11, and another in the Pahsimeroi Valley September 17. October 13, 1872, I shot a White-rumped Shrike at Fort Hall. Vireo gilvus swainsoni. Western Warbling Vireo. Common in the Lost River Mountains the last week of July, at which time the young were just out of the nest. Two were killed near the lower edge of the Douglas fir zone in the Salmon River Mountains in August. Vireo solitarius cassini. Cassin's Vireo. Capt. Charles E. Bendire informs me that he found Cassin's Vireo breeding at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, in June, 1871. Helminthophila celata. Orange-crowned Warbler. Mr. Clark P. Streator killed one in the Salmon River Mountaius, August 22, and I think I saw several others near the same place. Dendroica aestiva. Yellow Warhler. Common along Snake River near Blackfoot, and along Big Lost River in July ; and in willows along Birch Creek and Lemhi River in August. Dendroica auduboni. Audubon's Warhler. Bieeds abundantly throughout the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains, coming down into the valleys in September. Two were seen in the canon of Snake River near Shoshone Falls, October 0-11. Geothlypis macgillivrayi. Macgillivray's Warhler. Common and breeding in the Lost River Mountains in July; and common in Birch Creek Valley about the middle of August. Geothlypis trichas occidentalis. Western Yellowthroafc. Captain Bendire informs me that the Western Yellowthroat breeds at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where he took a nest with 4 eggs June 18, and one with 5 eggs June 23, 1871. 106 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 5. Icteria virens longicauda. Long- tailed Chat. Common in canon of Cedar Creek in the foothills of the Blackfoot Mountains about the middle of July, and called Mockingbird by the ranchmen (Bailey). In 1872 I shot a male on Devil's Creek, June 28. Capt. Charles E. Bendire informs me that the Long-tailed Chat breeds commonly in the neighborhood of Fort Lapwai, Idaho. Sylvania pusilla pileolata. Pileolated Warbler. Abundant in the willows along Birch Creek and Lemhi Valley, and in the undergrowth in the mountains during the latter part of August. Anthus pensilvanicus. Titlark ; Pipit. Breeds on the Salmon River Mountains and doubtless also on the other high mountains of Idaho. During the latter half of September and early October it was the most abundant species on the sage plains, on many days outnumbering all other species together. Cinclus mexicanus. Dipper ; Water Ouzel. Found on many of the mountain streams in the Pahsimeroi and Saw Tooth Mountains, and seen also in the lava canon of Snake River in October. Several were seen on Trail Creek and on Wood River— one within 1£ kilometers (about a mile) of the town of Ketchum. The spe- cies was not observed by our party in the Salmon River Mountains, though it was said to occur there and to winter along Birch Creek and the Lemhi River. It was common on the west Fork of the Pahsimeroi, where I found a beautiful nest in a nichein the face of a rock cliff at the side of a series of cascades. The nest was a sub globular mass of moss with the entrance fronting the stream, and could not be reached from any direction. While lunching on Trail Creek one day during the lat- ter part of September, an Ouzel was observed wading and diving in the rapids. I dipped a cupful of water and tossed it in the air; as it fell splashing on the stream he immediately flew to the spot and seemed disappointed that the commotion was so soon over. At Saw Tooth Lake an Ouzel surprised us by running around the head of the lake* on the sand beach. Oroscoptes montanus. Sage Thrasher. Common throughout the sage-covered plains and valleys. Killed as far north as Junction, in Lemhi Valley, and as late as September 7 in Birch Creek Valley. Galeoscoptes carolinensis. Catbird. A few were seen along Snake River near Blackfoot, and in Cedar Creek Canon in the foothills of the Blackfoot Mountains, during the early part of July (and two specimens were preserved). One was seen on Big Lost River about 24 kilometers (15 miles) below Arco the latter part of July. Salpinctes obsoletus. Rock Wren. Common on the rocky summits of most of the mountains visited, and occurring lower down wherever suitable rocky places were found. Seen in Snake River Canon in October. July, 1891.] BIRDS OF IDAHO. 107 Catherpes mexicanus conspersus. Cafiou Wren. Observed in the lava canon of Snake River, near Shoshone Falls, early in October. Troglodytes aedon aztecus. Western House Wren. A nest containing full grown young was found in the bridge over Snake River at Blackfoot about July 10. Specimens were obtained also on Big Lost River. In July, 1872, I found this species common on Henry Fork of Snake River, and on Middle Fork, and found its nest in the latter locality July 20. " It was in the hollow of a small tree that had broken off about 3 meters (10 feet) high and still rested against its stump. The nest contained five young birds." (Merriara, Sixth Annual Report, Hay- den Survey, 1873, 673-G74.) Troglodytes hiemalis. Winter Wren. One seen in the Saw Tooth Mountains, October 1. Cistothorus palustris. Long-hilled Marsh Wren. Common in a patch of cattails in the canon of Snake River at Sho- shone Falls early in October; not seen elsewhere. October 11, 1872, I shot one of these wrens and saw several others in a small marsh near Fort Hall. Certhia familaris montana. Rocky Mountain Creeper. One shot ami several others seen at Saw Tooth Lake. Sitta carolinensis aculeata. Slender-billed Nuthatch. One shot at Saw Tooth Lake, and a few seen in the Salmon River and Lost River Mountains. Sitta canadensis. Red-breasted Nuthatch. One shot and two others seen in the Salmon River Mountains near Junction. Parus atricapillus septentrionalis. Long-tailed Chickadee. Common among the willows bordering the small streams in Lemhi and Birch Creek Valleys. Captain Bendire tells me that this Chicka- dee breeds commonly about Fort Lapwai, Idaho. Parus gambeli. Mountain Chickadee. Abundant in the Salmon River and Saw Tooth Mountains. Regulus satrapa. Golden-crowned Kinglet. An adult male was shot and others seen in the Salmon River Moun- tains in August. Common among the willows along the lower part of the coniferous forest belt of the Salmon River Mountains in Lemhi and Birch Creek Valleys during the early part of September; and a few were seen in the Pahsimeroi Mountains the middle of September, and several in the Saw Tooth Mountains about the 1st of October. Regulus calendula. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Common in the Pahsimeroi and Salmon River Mountains during fall migration. Probably breeds. A few were seen in the Saw Tooth Moun- tains about October 1, and a few in the canon of Snake River, near Shoshone Falls, October 9 to 11. 108 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. I No. 5. Myadestes townsendii. Tovrnsend's Solitaire. Common in the Pahsirneroi Mountains September 12 to 16, where at least a dozen were seen in one day. One was seen in the lava canon of Snake Eiver near Shoshone Falls October 10. Turdus ustulatus swainsonii. Olive-backed Thrush. Not noted by our party. In 1872 I found a nest containing two fresh eggs of this species in Teton Basin, July 21. Turdus aonalaschkae auduboni. Audubon's Hermit Thrush. Not found common anywhere. A few were seen in the spruce forests of the Salmon River Mountains in August, and one in the lava caiion of Snake River October 9. Merula migratoria propinqua. Western Robin. Tolerably common in July along Snake River, near Blackfoot, in the Lost River Mountains, and on Big Lost River. In August and Sep- tember a few were seen from time to time in Lemhi and Birch Creek Valleys and in the upper part of Wood River Valley, but it was no- where common. A flock remained for several days about the head of Saw Tooth or Alturas Lake the last week of September. Sialia arctica. Mountain Bluebird. Common along the lower edge of the Douglas fir zone and in scat- tered cottonwoods along the Salmon River, Lost River, Pahsirneroi, and Saw Tooth Mountains, and in the Lemhi and Birch Creek Valleys. A few were seen in the Snake Itiver caiion at Shoshone Falls, October 9- 11. Mr. Bailey saw a flock of 10 at Big Butte about the middle of July, and a few along Big Lost River the latter part of the month. Young were seen with their parents in Birch Creek Valley August 6. ANNOTATED LIST OF REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS COLLECTED BY DR. C. HART MERIUAM AND PARTY IN IDAHO, 1890. By Leonhard Stejneger. A.— REPTILIA. Sceloporus graciosus B. & G. Two typical males from Blackfoot ami Big Lost Biver ami oue identi- cal with these in every respect from the Lemhi Indian Agency were collected. This species, easily recognizable by its slender form aud thesmalluess of its scales, is characteristic of the region in question. The material at hand is not sufficient to settle beyond a doubt the question whether IS. graciosus and gracilis are absolutely identical. The specimens collected are all males. In No. 310 there is hardly a trace of blue on the throat, while in No. 314 the whole under side of the head is evenly marbled with pale blue ; No. 328 is intermediate both in the extent and in the intensity of the blue color. List of 8pecimeti8. 03 o . 3 A v . 03 1G7G8 1G7G9 16770 Collector ami No. B. &D., 310 D.,314 B. &, D., 328 Sex. Locality. Blackfoot, Idaho Di^ Lost River, Idaho Leiulii Indian Agency, Idaho. 13 ,-j T3 A 3 Ml j} A n a o Date. 4/ .a A ■5 61 3 t. bt a> ^ H i-l hJ OJ July 1G, 1890 130 11 7G 13 July 21, 1800 122 11 74 13 Sept. 3, 1800 102 10 G6 13 Remarks. '5,400 feet. Phrynosoma douglasii (Bell). As might be expected, the Horned-toads belong to the typical form, that is, the northwestern race which has been called Ph. pygmwa (see N. Am. Fauna, No. 3, p. 112). The larger of these specimens collected are no pigmies, as the dimensions below show, although not reaching the size of Ph. ornatissimum, their nearest ally. They are all of the characteristic gray pepper-and-salt color usually found in the typical form. 109 110 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. List of specimens. I No. 5. .2 * | t/j s Collector and No. Sex. Locality. Date. si be a "3 o H 13 cs o si o WD a .as Hi "3 o M 3 S 1-1 •g © ■a '— 0 Remarks. 16771 16772 16773 16774 16775 B. &D.,309 B. & D., 312 - B. & D., 313 . B. & D., 319 . B. &D.,320. 9 9 ? 9 9 Blackfoot, Idaho ....do Big Lost River, Idaho. . . ....do July 13, 1890 July 19, 1890 ....do July 21, 1890 ... do 97 96 72 71 73 17 17 14 14 15 29 30 20 23 22 19 20 16 16 17 On black lava sand. On black lava rock. On sand in val- ley. On sand. On lava rock. Pituophis catenifer (Blaiuv,). The two Bull-snakes collected are provisionally enumerated under the above name, as the status of the various forms has not yet been definitely settled. Unfortunately, our large series of these snakes is inaccessible to me at the present writing. I can, therefore, only remark that these two specimens have a remarkably short cranium and that the dorsal blotches average 55 in front of the anus ; all the scale keels of the light spaces are blackish. (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 16776 ; Bailey and Dutcher, No. 316, Big Butte, Idaho, July 18, 1890 j No. 16777 ; Bailey, No. 315 Arco, Idaho, July 25, 1890.) Bascanion vetustus B. & G. A single specimen was collected at Big Butte, Idaho, July 19, 1890. Seven upper labials, fourth and fifth in contact with lower postorbital. (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 16778; B. & D. No. 318.) Eutainia vagrans B. & G. The seven Garter-snakes collected all belong to this widely distrib- uted species and are comparatively uniform both in scale formula and coloration. Nos. 322 aud 325 have a somewhat darker ground color above, but No. 334 is scarcely lighter aud has, moreover, the whole upper surface of the head nearly black. List of specimens . 16779 16780 16781 16782 16783 16784 16785 Collector and No. M. &B., 322. M. & B., 325 B. & D.,321. B. & D., 329 . B. & D., 333 B. & D., 332 B. &.D..334 Locality. Salmon River Mountains, Idaho . ...do Birch Creek, Idaho ...do Aug. 20, 1890 Aug. 22, 1890 Aug. 4,1890 Sept. 8, 1890 Challis Valley, Idaho Sept. 18, 1890 Date. .. do Trail Creek, Idaho. Sept. 20, 1890 Sept. 22, 1890 o ■s "3 a a t/2 •ji 21 8 21 8 21 7-8 21 8 21 8 21 8 21 8 Remarks. '8,000 feet." Do. '5, 800 feet." '5, 300 feet; caught in brook." July, 1891. J REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS OF IDAHO. HI Crotalus lucifer B. & G. This Rattlesnake, which is characteristic of northern California and Nevada, Oregon and Washington, is represented by four specimens obtained in the desert, two at Big Butte and two at Little Lost River. These specimens are in every way typical and can not be mistaken for the following species, of which a specimen was secured at Lemhi Indian Agency, the more rounded outline of the head and the numerous granules between and adjoining the superciliary scales being quite characteristic. The specimens are all young, except No. 311, which has quite a re- spectable size for this species, the head being about 40mm long (only head and forepart of body preserved). List of specimens. fc'S Collector and No. Locality. Date. Remarks. 16786 B.&D., 311,338.. B. &D..317 B July 19,1890 July 18, 1890 Sept, 9, 1890 ....do 16787 do tie only. 16788 B. &D..330 B.&D..331 16789 Little Lost Kiver (mouth of), Idaho. . Crotalus confluentus Say. The occurrence of a typical example of this species in Idaho is highly interesting, and it is quite suggestive that it was obtained in Lemhi Valley near the Indian agency, between which locality and Montana, where G. confluentus is the characteristic species, there is only a low divide, as Dr. Merriam informs me, over which the range of the species may be continuous, while to the south there is a divide separating it from the range of C. confluentus. The present specimen belongs to the typical group of the species, the original of which came from the plains of northeastern Colorado near the Arkansas River. I have compared numerous specimens from Mon- tana and Nebraska, as well as the Idaho specimen here referred to, with individuals from the type locality and find them to be in every way identical, aud entitled to the name bestowed upon the species by Say. (U. S. Nat. Mas. No. 1G791 ; Bailey and Dutcher coll., No. '621 • Lemhi lndiau Agency, Idaho, 5,400 feet altitude; September 3, 1890.) B.— BATRACHIA. ? ? Ambystoma * epixanthum Cope. I refer a young specimen (No. 337) collected by Dr. Merriam and Mr. Bailey a little above Saw Tooth Lake on October 1 to this species with "The generic name should be written as above, not Amblystoma. The latter is a late and very doubtful emendation by Agassiz; aud Amblystomus as the name of a 112 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No.5. considerable hesitation, as I have had no opportunity to examine the unique type specimen. It differs considerably both in coloration and proportions, but these differences may possibly be attributable to the youth of the specimen, or to individual variation. The vomero pala- tine teeth can not be made out clearly, but they seem to form one un- interrupted series on each side with the anterior ends well forward, in fact, anterior to the line through the choanse, or exactly as in the figure of A. epixanthum (Gope, Batr. N. Am., p. 98). The head is compara- tively broader than in A. macrodactylum, and so is the interorbital space, both characters which, according- to Cope, separate A. macrodactylum and epixanthum. The tongue of the present specimen is remarkably small, a feature which has caused me more doubt than any other and which has tempted me to describe it as a new species, as Professor Cope in the diagnosis of his A. epixanthum expressly says " tongue large." But if the figure which he presents (op. cit., p. 98) is only approximately correct, the tongue of the latter species is certainly much smaller than in A. ma- crodactylum, which is correctly figured on page 96. From the measurements given below it will be seen that the tail is considerably shorter in the present specimen than in either A. macro- dactylum or epixanthum., but by measuring a full-grown and a smaller A. macrodactylum I find that the latter has the tail shorter in about the same proportions as between Cope's measurements and my own. The color of the present species is dull and apparently more like A. macrodactylum, but it remains yet to be seen how constant and diag- nostic is the bright coloring attributed to A. epixanthum. It may not be out of place to remark that the type of the latter species was collected on the south side of the Saw Tooth Mountains, and the present specimen on the northern slope of the same mountains. The dimensions in millimeters are as follows: Total length, 52; length to axilla, 14; to groin, 30; to gular fold, 10; width of head, 7; of tongue, 3 ; length of anterior limb, 11 ; of anterior foot, 3.5 ; of pos- terior limb, 12; of posterior foot, 4.5. (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 16792.) Rana pretiosa B. & G. Five specimens from Saw Tooth Lake, the Lemhi Indian Agency, and the Salmon River Mountains. The specimens are typical and the lo- calities within the known range of the species. coleopterous insect, moreover, antedates Ambystoma, which invalidates the use ot the emended form according to the A. O. U. code of nomenclature. In Tschudi's original paper, which was edited hy Agassiz, Ambystoma occurs four times, hut it was not until several years later that the latter offered the amended spelling (cautiously adding a " ?," however), as there is apparently no good derivation of Tschudi's word. But in this respect it io no worse than many other generic names hotb of ancient and modern times. July, 1891.] REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS OF IDAHO. List of specimens. 113 Is P3 Collector and No. Locality. Altitude. Date. 16793 Merriaru & Bailey, 323 . Bailey &Dutcher,324 Bailey & Dutcher, 326 . . Bailey & D atcher, 335 . . Bailey &Dutcher,336 8,000 ft. Aug. 20, 1890 Do. 16794 ....do 16795 5,400 ft. 7,200 ft. Sept. 3, 1890 Sept. 28, 1890 Do. 16796 16707 ....do 2(3789— No. 5 8 DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF DWARF KANGAROO RAT FROM NEVADA (MICROD1PODOPS MEGACEPHALUS), By Dr. C. Hart Merriam. One of the most remarkable of the many new and interesting mam- mals that have been discovered in North America during the past few years is the subject of the present article. In external appearance it looks like a heavy, thickset pocket mouse of the Perognathus oliva- ceus type, with a hydrocephalic head and abnormally large, lurry hind feet. Its skull, on the other hand, does not suggest Perognathus at all, but resembles the skull of Dipodops, and has the tympanic and mastoid regions inflated to a degree surpassing even the extreme condition presented by Dipodomys deserti, which species exhibits the maximum of inflation heretofore known among mammals. It lacks the large cylin- drical, crested- penicillate, four-striped tail of Dipodomys and Dipodops. In short, Microdipodops may be described as a Perognathus of the olivaceus type, with the skull of a Dipodops; but it is not simply inter- mediate between these two genera, for the skull surpasses that of Dipodops in the chief peculiarity by which the latter differs from Perognathus. Six specimens of this remarkable rodent were collected in Nevada by Mr. Bailey in October and November, 1890. The precise localities are Halleck and Beese Biver. MICRODIPODOPS gen. nov. Similar to Dipodops, but with tympauo-mastoid inflation carried to a still greater extreme. Shelf of palate produced posteriorly to foramen ovale, as in Perognathus, instead of ending at plane of last molars with a deep fossa on each side, as in Dipodomys and Dipodops. Lateral borders of parietals excavated to receive the deeply notched squa- mosals, each of which appears on the upper surface of the skull in the form of a narrow strip of bone bent in the shape of a V. Zygomatic process of maxillary as in Perognathus — not expanded in front of orbit as in Dipodomys and Dipodops. The mandible lacks the post molar pit of Dipodomys and Dipodops ; the angular process is truncated and thickened instead of ending in a 115 116 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No.5. sharp point, and is much shorter than in Perognathus, Dipodomys, or Dipodops. The enormously inflated mastoids nearly meet along the median line, leaving a narrow spicule of bone between them, and project posteriorly much further than in Dipodomys or Dipodops. The length of the tympano-mastoid inflation in the type specimen is more than 80 per cent, of the basilar length of the skull, and the breadth across the inflated mastoids is much greater than the basilar length (115 per cent.). This great development of the mastoids takes place at the expense of the supraoccipital, interparietal, and parietals, which are very much re- duced. Viewed from below, the audital bullae meet in a symphysis, and the tympanic capsules project anteriorly far beyond the plane of this sym- physis and beyond the plane of the frontoparietal suture, extend- ing along the outer side of the malar bone half way to the end of the zygomatic process of the maxillary. The molars are rootless, as in Dipodomys and Dipodops. The upper premolar has an anterior prism, as in Perognathus. The tail is simple, as in Perognathus; not greatly elongated, as in Dipodomys and Dipodops, and lacks the four longitudinal stripes always present in the latter genera. There is no trace of the conspicuous white band which crosses the thighs to the base of the tail in every species of Dipodomys and Dipodops. MICRODIPODOPS MEGACEPHALUS gen. et sp. nov. Type No. ffihHf. 3 . ad. U. S. National Museum (Department of Agriculture collection). From Halleck, Nevada, October 23, 1890. Collected by Vernon Bailey. (Original number, 2005.) measurements (from dry skin).— Total length, about 150; tail ver- tebrae, about 80 ; hind foot, 24; ear from crown, 6 ; from anterior base, 9. General characters. — Size very much smaller than the smallest known species of Dipodomys or Dipodops, and only a trifle larger than Perogn- athus olivaceus. Tail not crested-penicillate as in Dipodomys, Dipo- dops, and Chcetodipus, but simple, as in Perognathus proper. The tail is bicolor, as in Perognathus, lacking the four stripes of Dipodomys and Dipodops. Its length only slightly exceeds that of the head and body. The ears are completely covered with soft fur. The hind feet are long and densely furred on both sides to the very tips of the toes. The hallux without the claw reaches the metatarso-phalang'eal articulation of the other toes. The fur of the back and sides is long, soft, and silky, as in Hesperomys eremicus. Color. — Upper parts yellowish brown or clay color, finely mixed with black-tipped hairs and slightly tinged with olive; sides from nose to thighs suffused with pale ochraceous. Under parts white; the fur plumbeous at base and washed with pale ochraceous, except on throat and breast, which are white throughout. Feet soiled white, tinged with buffy. Tail bicolor; upper part like back, except terminal third. July, 1891.] NEW SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS. 117 which is blackish ; under aide pale butty ochraceous. There is a black- ish crescent on each side of the face at base of whiskers, and a butty patch behind each ear involving the lower base of the ear. Cranial characters. — The cranial and dental characters have been given so fully in the description of the genus that it is unnecessary to repeat them here. The skull is much arched, both antero-posteriorly and laterally. The basioccipital is wedge-shaped, and is not cut away or emargiuate on the sides. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW EVOTOMYS FROM THE BLACK HILLS OF SOUTH DAKOTA, By Dr. C. Hart Merriam. Two specimens of a Red-backed Mouse were collected in the Black Hills, South Dakota, in July, 1888, by Vernon Bailey. .One was caught under a log in a thicket; the other by a log in the pine timber on top of the mountain. Both are adult males and differ from E. gapperi in having much shorter tails (in this respect resembling E. daicsoni* from the sources of the Liard River, N. W. T.), and in other particulars pointed out below. EVOTOMYS GAPPERI BREVICAUDUS subsp. uov. Type No. £f?J