116 Bailey The American Voles of the Genus Evotomys. 



under cover of old leaves. A trap set under the edge of a half- 

 rotten log in the woods is pretty sure to get a Red-back if a shrew 

 does not happen along first. Though mainly nocturnal, they 

 are sometimes seen in the daytime. A rustling in the dry leaves 

 and a quick brown flash are the usual evidences of their presence, 

 unless one has the patience to sit for hours in the woods watch 

 ing for them. I have surprised them by suddenly turning over 

 a log and tipping them rudely out of their nests ; have caught 

 them in my hands as they scampered from their feeding grounds 

 to their burrows, and have watched them gliding about among 

 their favorite food plants. Early one morning, when camped in 

 the Big Snowy Mountains in Montana, I was watching the Pine 

 Squirrels climb to the tallest spruce tops to warm themselves in 

 the first rays of sunlight, when the leaves moved and out came 

 an Evotomys only a few feet away. After eyeing me intently for 

 a moment he began to move about as freely as if I had been a 

 stump. His ears were erect and constantly changing position, 

 his eyes were bright and prominent, and his nose and whiskers 

 were in constant motion. His color harmonized beautifully with 

 the reddish-brown leaves and the yellow and gray stems of dry 

 grass as he scampered from one plant to another, reaching up to 

 bite off the stems, and then hunching himself up in a fluffy, 

 round ball to eat from his hands, while keeping one eye on me. 



In winter these mice do not hibernate, nor have I ever found 

 evidence of their storing provisions. They make long tunnels 

 under the snow, through which they travel about with perfect 

 security from a host of enemies, while they procure the tender 

 grass blades and ripe seeds as easily from the surface of the 

 ground as when the white blanket is not above them. All sorts 

 of seeds and green vegetation are eaten, but grass is the favorite 

 food, especially the half-blanched, tender base of the young grass 

 blades. 



Nineteen species and subspecies are here recognized as inhab 

 iting Canada and the United States. Of these, five are described 

 as new one by Mr. Bangs and four by the writer. 



LIST OF AMERICAN SPECIKS AND SUBSPECIES OF EVOTOMYS, WITH TYPE 



LOCALITIES. 



rutilus Siberia, east of the Obi. 



wrangeli Wrangel Island, Alaska. 



dawsoni Finlayson River, North west Territory, 



Canada. 



