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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



fulva), gray fox {Urocyon cinereoar- 

 genteus suhsp.), raccoon {Procyon lotor), 

 eastern deer-mouse {Peromyscus leucopus 

 moveboracensis), jumping-mouse {Zapus 

 hudsonius campestris), gray squirrel 

 {Sciurus carolinensis), fox squirrel {Sciu- 

 rus niger rufiventer), flying-squirrel Glau- 

 comys volans), cottontail rabbit {Sylvi- 

 lagus floridanus mearnsii) and Virginia 

 deer {Odocoileus virginianus macrourus) . 

 Along the streams occurred such forms 

 as the muskrat (Ondatra zibetJiica 

 cinnamomina) , beaver (Castor cana- 

 densis), mink (Mustela vison letifera), 

 and otter (Lutra canadensis subsp.). 

 Many of these timber and stream forms 

 follow westward in the state for a long 

 distance along the stream valleys. On 

 the grassy prairies of the eastern part 

 of the state occurred such forms as the 

 badger (Taxidea taxus), prairie deer- 

 mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii), 

 prairie vole (Microtus ochrogasier), 

 pocket-gopher {Geomys bursarius), 

 striped ground-squirrel (Citellus tri- 

 decemlineatus badius), white-tailed jack- 

 rabbit (Lepus townsendii campanius), 

 and bison (Bison bison). 



On the more arid grassland of the 

 western part of the state some charac- 

 teristic forms were the prairie wolf 

 {jCanis sp.)> coyote (Canis nebracensis) , 

 swift fox (Vulpes velox), black-footed 

 ferret (Mustela nigripes), badger, 

 pocket-mouse (Perognathus subsp.), 

 kangaroo-rat (Dipodomys subsp.), prai- 

 rie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) , white- 

 tailed jackrabbit, black-tailed jack- 

 rabbit (Lepus californicus melanotis) , 

 western cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus 

 audubonii suhsp.) , mule deer (Odocoileus 

 hemionus), pronghorn antelope (Anti- 

 locarpa americana) , and bison. 



Entering the southeastern part of the 

 state are a few species characteristic 

 of the southern hardwood forests, such 

 as the rice rat (Oryzomys palustris 

 texensis), and swamp rabbit (Sylvilagus 

 aguaticus) . 



Likewise several forms characteristic 

 of the southwestern arid lands and 

 deserts are found in the southwestern 

 part of the state, such as the spotted 



ground-squirrel (Citellus spilosoma 

 subsp.). 



Kansas had no forests and the prin- 

 cipal wooded tracts fringe the rivers 

 and streams. Throughout the eastern 

 part of the state such trees as elm 

 (Ulnius americana), hackberry (Celtis 

 occidentalis) , walnut (Juglans nigra), 

 linden (Tilia americana), white ash 

 (Fraxinus americana), oak, sycamore 

 (Platanus occidentalis), and willows 

 thrive . Further west the predominating 

 trees are cottonwood (Populus del- 

 toides), and boxelder (Acer negundo). 

 Sage brush {Artemisia tridentata) is 

 an important shrub in the west. 



The original grasses were principally 

 bluestem (Andropogon furcatus), bunch, 

 buffalo (Buchloe dactyloides) , and grama 

 (Bouteloua), grasses. Cactus and yucca 

 (Y. glauca) occur abundantly in western 

 Kansas and on sandy areas elsewhere. 

 Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) abound 

 everywhere and the Russian thistle 

 (Salsola Kali var. tenuifeolia) is fast 

 becoming established. Wild flowers are 

 numerous and varied and form an im- 

 portant part of the flora. The develop- 

 ment of large agricultural areas has 

 added numerous cultivated species of 

 plants to the state. 



II. NATURAL AREAS 



*Fort Leavenworth Military Reserva- 

 tion. (A4-C3-F6.) Leavenworth County. 

 River valley hills and native timber 

 have an area of 1900 acres lying along 

 the Missouri river in Leavenworth 

 County, Kansas, which is used as a 

 military reservation. Altitude: 770 to 

 790. Topography: Varies from river 

 bottom to very hilly deep ravines. 

 There is a large area of native timber, 

 undisturbed. 



Two mi. north to Fort Leavenworth. 

 M. P. R. R., K. C. L. & W. Elec. R. R. 



^Wildcat Creek Park. (B4.) Riley 

 County. About 80 acres of woodland, 

 scrub and grassland on western slope 

 of Wildcat Creek. Deciduous woodland 

 along the stream and on the slope, with 

 a strip of scrub above, and the top of 

 the hill covered with grassland. 



