Wild Animals at Home Part 20

Antelope or p.r.o.nghorn (_Antilocapra americana_) Formerly abundant, now rare; found only in broad open places such as Lamar Valley, etc. Their numbers have shrunk from many thousands in the '70's to about 1,500 in 1897, and 500 in 1912.

Mountain Sheep or Bighorn (_Ovis canadensis_) Formerly rare, now common about Mt. Evarts, Mt. Washburn and the western boundary. In 1897 there were about 100, perhaps only 75; in 1912 they are reported numbering 210 by actual count.

American Buffalo or Bison (_Bison bison_) Steadily increasing. In 1897 there were about 30; they now number 199 by actual count. These are in two herds, of 49 wild, and 150 in the fenced corrals.

Richardson Red-squirrel (_Sciurus hudsonicus richardsoni_) Abundant in all pine woods.

Northern Chipmunk (_Eutamias quadrivittatus luteiventris_) Extremely abundant everywhere.

Least Chipmunk (_Eutamias minimus pictus_) Common about Mammoth Hot Springs.

Golden Ground-squirrel (_Citellus lateralis cinerascens_) Common.

Picket-pin Ground-squirrel (_Citellus armatus_) Abundant on all level prairies.

Prairie-dog (_Cynomys ludovicia.n.u.s_) Gen. Geo. S. Anderson told me long ago that the Prairie-dogs, so abundant on the Lower Yellowstone, were sometimes seen as far up as the Park at Gardiner.

[Ill.u.s.tration: XLVII. Johnnie Bear: his sins and his troubles _Sketches by E. T. Seton_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: XLVIII. Johnnie happy at last _Photo by Miss L. Griscom_]

Yellow Woodchuck, Rock Chuck or Marmot (_Marmota flaviventer_) Abundant on all mountains.

Rocky Mt. Flying Squirrel (_Sciuropterus alpinus_) Said to be found. I did not see one.

Beaver (_Castor canadensis_) Abundant and increasing.

Gra.s.shopper Mouse (_Onychomys leucogaster_) I found a typical colony of this species on the Yellowstone near Yancey's but did not secure any.

Mountain Deer-mouse (_Peromyscus maniculatus artemisiae_) Abundant everywhere.

Mountain Rat, Pack-rat or Wood-rat (_Neotoma cinerea_) Said to be found, but I saw none.

Redbacked Vole or Field-mouse (_Evotomys gapperi galei_) Not taken yet in the Park but found in all the surrounding country, therefore, probable.

Common Field-mouse (_Microtus pennsylvannicus modestus_) Recorded by Vernon Bailey from Lower Geyser Basin in the Park.

Long-tailed Vole (_Microtus mordax_) Vernon Bailey records this from various surrounding localities, also from Tower Falls. Doubtless it is generally distributed. This is the bobtailed, short-eared, dark gray mouse that is found making runs in the thick gra.s.s, especially in low places.

Big-footed Vole (_Microtus richardsoni macropus_) Not yet taken in the Park, but found in surrounding mountains, therefore probable.

Muskrat (_Fiber zibethicus osoyoosensis_) Common and of general distribution.

Mole-gopher or Gray Gopher (_Th.o.m.omys talpoides_) A Gopher of some kind abounds in the Park. I a.s.sume it to be this.

Rocky Mt. Jumping Mouse (_Zapus princeps_) Found in all the surrounding country, and recorded by E. A.

Preble from near Yellowstone Lake.

Yellow-haired Porcupine (_Erethizon epixanthus_) Somewhat common in the pine woods on the Continental Divide.

Coney, Rock Rabbit, Pika, or Calling Hare (_Ochotona princeps_) Abundant in all slide rock.

Rocky Mt. Cottontail (_Sylvilagus nuttalli grangeri_) Plentiful about Gardiner and in some of the lower regions of the Park, but not general.

Snowshoe Rabbit (_Lepus bairdi_) Common and generally distributed.

White-tailed Jack Rabbit (_Lepus campestris_) Common and generally distributed.

Mountain Lion, Cougar or Puma (_Felis hippolestes_) In 1897 it was considered extremely rare; probably not more than a dozen were then living in the Park; since then it seems to have increased greatly and is now somewhat common in the mountainous parts. Their numbers are given officially at 100 in 1912.

Canada Lynx (_Lynx canadensis_) Common.

Bobcat or Mountain-cat (_Lynx uinta_) Somewhat common.

The Big-tailed Fox (_Vulpes macrourus_) Common.

Timber Wolf (_Canis occidentalis_) Very rare, noticed only at h.e.l.l Roaring Creek and Slough Creek. On August 25, 1912, Lieut. M. Murray saw two in a meadow two miles southeast of Snow Shoe Cabin on Slough Creek. They were plainly seen in broad daylight; and were nearly white.

Coyote (_Canis latrans_) Abundant everywhere, although officially reckoned they numbered only 400 in 1912.

Otter (_Lutra canadensis_) Common, particularly around the Lake and the Canyon.

Mink (_Lutreola vison energumenos_) Common.

Long-tailed Weasel (_Putorius longicauda_) Said to be found. I did not see any.

Short-tailed Weasel (_Putorius cicognanii_) Included because its range includes the Park.

Marten (_Mustela caurina_) Found throughout the Park, but not common.

Pekan or Fisher (_Mustela pennanti_) Rare. Gen. G. S. Anderson tells me that in the early '90's he took the skin of one from a poacher.

Wolverine (_Gulo luscus_) Of general distribution, but not common.

Northern Skunk (_Mephitis hudsonica_) Rare, but found at Mammoth Hot Springs and Yancey's.

Badger (_Taxidea taxus_) Common.

Racc.o.o.n or c.o.o.n (_Procyon lotor_) Said to occur. Fifteen years ago at Gardiner I was shown one that was said to have been taken in the Park, but it was not certain.

Grizzly Bear (_Ursus horribilis_) Common. The official count gives 50 in 1912.

Blackbear (_Ursus america.n.u.s_) Abundant and increasing. The official count gives 100 in 1912.

Common or Masked Shrew (_Sorex personatus_) Never taken, but included because its known range surrounds the Park.

Marsh Shrew or Water Shrew (_Neosorex pal.u.s.tris_) Probably occurs there, since its known range surrounds the Park.

Long-eared Bat (_Corynorhinus macrotis pallescens_) A few were seen in the Devil's Kitchen, Mammoth Hot Springs, and one sent to the Biological Survey for identification.