FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Color. — Sexes colored alike; some seasonal variation but 

 not very marked. 



Winter pelage. — Upperparts pale cinnamon, sprinkled with 

 blackish hairs along top of head and back; sides brighter; 

 outer sides of legs brownish drab; feet white; tail dusky above, 

 nearly concolor, slightly paler below; underparts creamy white. 



Young duller in color than adults. 



Measurements. — Sexes of equal size. Total length, 16.4 

 inches; tail vertebrae, 7.6 inches; hind foot, 1.54 inches. 



Geographical Distribution. — In western North America 

 from 60° southward into Mexico and the Gulf States; Florida 

 and a narrow belt from southern New York to Tennessee. 



Food. — Green vegetation such as foliage and grass; fruit, 

 roots, bulbs, bark, fungi, and seeds and nuts. In desert 

 regions cactus is an article of diet. Not often injurious to 

 crops and agricultural enterprises. 



Enemies. — Hawks, Owls, Weasels, Foxes, Coyotes, Wild- 

 cats, Cacomistles, and Snakes. 



Species and Subspecies of the Genus Neotoma 

 Subgenus Neotoma 



Characterized by round tail, plantar surface of hind foot 

 naked along outer side as far as tarsometatarsal joint, as well 

 as by various cranial characters. 



Floridana Group 



Florida Wood Rat. — Neotoma floridana floridana (Ord). 



As described above. Found along "Atlantic coast region 

 from South Carolina to Sebastian, Fla., Austroriparian 

 Zone." (Goldman) 



Ruddy Wood Rat. — Neotoma floridana rubida Bangs. 



Redder in color, somewhat larger than typical floridana. 

 Upperparts from cinnamon to dark ochraceous buff, sprink- 

 led along top of head and back with blackish hairs: rest of 

 coloration much as in typical floridana. Total length, 16.2 

 inches; tail vertebrae, 7.8 inches; hind foot, 1.64 inches. 

 Found in "Lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf coast, from 

 southwestern Alabama to eastern Texas, north to eastern 

 Arkansas. Austroriparian Zone." (Goldman). 



Illinois Wood Rat. — Neotoma floridana illinoensis Howell. 

 Resembling rubida, but grayer in color and tail bicolor 

 instead of unicolor. Upperparts_ dull buffy with black 

 mixture on head and back; grayish on face, brownish on 



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