66 



is near the eastern part of the range of the pocket-gopher. Coming 

 through the Kankakee sand region in eastern Indiana, the writer has 

 seen from the train, mounds which could hardly have been other than 

 those of Geomys. The eastern limit of its range should be looked 

 for in a sandy region. 



Sylvilagus Horidanns )iicanisi Allen. June 28, October 6, April 4. 



The cottontail, our commonest rabbit, is quite abundant in the 

 sand region, being sometimes a true prairie form, but more often 

 with the den in the forest border or a thicket. These rabbits are 

 very prolific. Since their natural enemies, the larger carnivores, are 

 now almost extinct, their numbers would be overwhelming were it 

 not for the reduction made each year by hunters. The food is al- 

 most exclusively vegetable. The rabbit is one of the important plant- 

 feeding species of the sand prairie. It is quite frequently seen in 

 the blowsand, but is more prevalent in bunch-grass. It is most active 

 at dusk. 



Mephitis incsomclas aria Bangs. April 4, 5. 



This subspecies of skunk is recorded by Mr. F. E. Wood from 

 San Jose, Mason county. None of the animals were seen, but large 

 burrows and suspicious odors encountered together on two occasions 

 corroborated the statement of one of the farmers residing near the 

 Devil's Hole, to the effect that skunks are common in the sand 

 prairie. Their dens were seen ; one northeast of the Devil's Hole, 

 and the other south of Havana. The skunk is carnivorous, eating 

 insects, frogs, mice and other small mammals, birds' eggs, and poul- 

 try. It is sluggish and not very shy. Though the skunk causes con- 

 siderable change in the animal life of an association wherever it goes, 

 it is never abundant, and probably, for this reason, has little influence 

 upon the association in the long run. 



Several other carnivorous mammals no doubt exist in the sand 

 region, especially the weasel, Putorius noveboracensis Emmons. 



Scalopus aquaticus macJiriuus Rafinesque. July 5. 



One specimen of the common mole was* taken from a non-typical 

 part of the Devil's Hole, where the blue-grass had invaded, forming 

 a sod. It must be quite frequent in the bunch-grass, where its tun- 

 nels are often seen. On one or two occasions the burrows were seen 

 in almost pure sand. 



Several other insect-eating mammals are likely to be present in 

 the sand prairie. Of these, Blariiia brc-ricaiida Say and one or two 

 bats are almost certain to be found. 



