186 



NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



Throughout the entire area the cougar 

 (Felis 0. oregonensis) preyed upon the 

 young elk and deer. The Douglas pine- 

 squirrel (Sciurus douglassii), the fuscus 

 bushy-tailed woodrat {Neotoma cinerea 

 hisca) and the deer-mouse {Peromyscus 

 maniculalus riibidus), were constantly 

 pursued by the bobcat {Lynx fasciatus 

 pallcscens) the Pacific fisher (mustela 

 pennonti pasific) and the Pacific marten. 

 This area is also inhabited by the 

 Bachman flying-squirrel {glaucomys sa- 

 hrinus oregonensis) . The bald eagle and 

 the band-tailed pigeon nested within 

 this region, while the coast wren built 

 its home in no other place. 



All of these species are still present 

 in varying degrees of abundance. The 

 elk is no longer, however, a game animal 

 and the bear are becoming limited. 



The east slope of the Coast Range Moun- 

 tains. The East slope of the Coast 

 Range Mountains, characterized by the 

 Douglas fir, meets the Hill prairie area 

 in its foothills rising out of the valleys 

 on the eastern side. 



The fauna of the west slope is quite 

 generally carried to the east slope, and 

 while several species are now mapped 

 for the west side, a more detailed study 

 might show that their range could be 

 extended. 



The western bushy-tailed woodrat was 

 found throughout this area. The Cali- 

 fornia skunk (Mephitis occidentalis) 

 probably extended his range well into 

 the valleys of the east slope, as did the 

 timber wolf (Cams gigas) as he pursued 

 both the black-tailed deer and the 

 western white-tailed deer (Odocoileus 

 leucurus). 



The Hill Prairie area. The Hill 

 Prairie area was characterized by open 

 grass land and Oregon oak which covered 

 the foothills on either side of the 

 Willamette Valley. These groves of 

 Garry oak afford a natural home for the 

 beautiful silver-gray squirrel (Sciurus 

 griseus griseus) which, however, extends 

 its range far back into the coniferous 

 forest on both sides of the valley and in 

 the southern section to the Coast. 

 Especially numerous in this area were 



the Douglas ground squirrel (Citellus 

 beecheyi douglasii), the white-tailed deer 

 formerly bedded among these hills, and 

 the sooty grouse were numerous. 



The Valley Prairie area. This was 

 the original home of the western white- 

 tailed deer. The main streams and their 

 many tributaries wooded by Douglas fir, 

 maple, oak, willow and numerous shrubs, 

 afforded an ideal home for the mink, 

 otter, raccoon and skunk. Especially 

 numerous were the beaver of this area, 

 feeding upon the Cottonwood and willow 

 which grew close to the water's edge. 

 The Puget Sound muskrat found an 

 ideal habitat in the numerous sloughs 

 caused by the annual flooding. Along 

 these streams the abundant thorn- 

 bearing shrubs formed an excellent 

 location for the dusky-footed woodrat 

 (Neotoma fuscipes) to build its nest. 

 The wild rose, Spiraea, and snowberry 

 associations afforded covers for the 

 Pacific Coast brush rabbit (Sylvilagus 

 bachmani ubericolor) and the California 

 black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus calif orni- 

 cus) fed upon the luxuriant vegetation of 

 the open grass land. In the wooded 

 areas of this section were found the silver 

 gray and Douglas pine-squirrels and 

 Bachman flying-squirrel. The gray fox 

 (Urocyon californicus totvnsendi) and 

 the coyote made their dens within the 

 foothills and sought their prej' through- 

 out the vallej^s, as did the cougar and 

 bobcat. The covers along the streams 

 of service berry, red-twigged dogwood, 

 hawthorn, and numerous other fruit and 

 seed bearing shrubs, furnished feeding 

 grounds for the Oregon ruffed grouse. 

 The numerous sloughs and streams 

 furnished natural breeding conditions 

 for many duck and shore birds. 



Probably no section of Oregon has lost 

 a greater share of its abundant wild life 

 than the Willamette valley. This has 

 been brought about through rather in- 

 tensive grazing and cultivation, but 

 factors of greater importance have been 

 the rifle and trap. 



The wolf, coyote, and white-tailed 

 deer have practically disappeared. The 

 beaver, under protection showed indica- 



