NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



521 



Original faunal cnndilions 



Mammals.'^ Characteristic mammals 

 of the Missouri-river bluff region were 

 the opossum {Didelphis virginiana), 

 spotted skunk {Spiiogale iiiterrupla), 

 woodland vole {Microtus ncmoralis), 

 woodchuek {Marmota monax), fox squir- 

 rel {Sciurus niger rufiventer), and flj'ing- 

 squirrel {Glaucomys volans). Of these all 

 but the opossum and skunk are prac- 

 tically confined to the JMissouri region. 



In the prairie region were found 

 originallj' great herds of bison; while 

 other characteristic forms were probably 

 the coj^ote, badger, prairie vole {Micro- 

 tus ochrogaster), pocket-gopher, striped 

 ground-squirrel, Franklin ground-squir- 

 rel {Citellus franhlinii), and white- 

 tailed jackrabbit. 



Among the mammals known to occur 

 natively in the sand hill region are the 

 sand-hill ground-squirrel [CilcUus obso- 

 leius), grasshopper-mouse {Onychomys 

 leucogaster arcticeps), deer-mouse, har- 

 vest-mouse, Hayden vole (Microtits 

 ochrogaster haydeni), plains pocket- 

 gopher (Geomys lutescens), Richardson 

 kangaroo-rat {Dipodomys ordii richard- 

 soni), and Kansas pocket-mouse (Pcrog- 

 nathus hispid us paradoxus). 



The plains region has as characteristic 

 forms the bison, pronghorn antelope, 

 coyote, black-footed ferret {Mustela 

 nigripes), swift fox, badger, striped 

 ground-squirrel, prairie-dog, Hayden 

 vole, pocket-mouse (Perognalhus spp.), 

 and white-tailed jackrabbit. 



In the coniferous woodland of the 

 northwestern part of the state are found 

 such species as the yellow-haired por- 

 cupine (Erethizonepixanlhum), woodrat, 

 wolverine {Gulo luscus), northern plains 

 skunk {Mephitis hudsonica), pale chip 

 munk {Eutamias pallidus), and red 

 squirrel {Sciurus hudsonicus dahotcnsis). 



Present faunal conditions 



The Missouri River bluffs and prairie 

 regions of the state are characterized 

 by the mammals: the opossum, gray 



> Scientific names of mammals occurrinc i" the 

 South Dakota account do not occur here. 



sq)iirrel, WDodchuek, flying-fl«niirrel, 

 woodland vole, red fox, and spoiled 

 skunk, and all but the opoBSUin and 

 skunk arc practically confined to ihc 

 Missouri region. The rest of the Btatc is 

 characterized by the pockcl-niousc, 

 kangaroo-rat, i)ruiric-dog, lunK-tailod 

 weasel, sand-hill ground-scjuirrcl and 

 black-footed ferret, except in the conif- 

 erous woodland of the northwest where 

 the long-cared bat, yellow-haired por- 

 cupine, mountain rat, northern i)ockct- 

 gopher, wolverine, northern plains 

 skunk, and subarctic deer-mouse ore 

 characteristic. 



The Missouri region has more than u 

 score of woodland birds which as sum- 

 mer residents and breeders arc peculiar 

 to it, including the woodchuek, ruffed 

 grouse, broad-winged liawk, bald eagle, 

 least flycatcher, nuiny warblers, and the 

 brown creeper. There are no birds 

 peculiar to the prairie region, which 

 shares with the Missouri region some 

 GO savanna and prairie forms, but many 

 of them, as the prairie horned lark, 

 bobolink, lark sparrow, and Hell vireo, 

 find here the most favorable environ- 

 ment. As steppe birds may be men- 

 tioned the long-billed curlew, sharp- 

 tailed grouse, Sennett nighthuwk, desert 

 horned lark, several western sparrows, 

 arctic towhce and black-headed gros- 

 beak, with about 10 other species. 

 Conspicuous birds of this region in the 

 state, though not confined to it, are the 

 sharp-tailed grouse, i)rairie chicken, 

 .sparrow hawk, burrowing owl, Arkansaij 

 kingbird, and lark bunting. The sand 

 hill lakes harl)or a numerous water- 

 bird population, fourteen spe. : ' -ig 

 confined to this region during t i- 



ing season. The characteristic birds of 

 the i^lains are the nu)Untain pUivor. 

 poor-will, western night hawk. Say 

 phocbe, magiue, HuUock oriole. Hrewer 

 blackbird, chestnut-collared and 

 McCown longspurs. Hrewer sparrow, 

 rock wren, aiul others. I'mally, in the 

 coniferous woodland arc '-'5 spcciea 

 pecidiar to it as sununer residents, 

 including the sharp-shinned and Krider 

 hawks, golden eagle, prairie falcon. 



