FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



Enemies. — Very little is known of the life-history of this 

 genus, but undoubtedly it has the same enemies as Meadow 

 Mice, namely, Snakes, Hawks, Owls, and small carnivores. 

 The Blue Jay is said to pre}^ on the young of the two arboreal 

 species of Phenacomys. 



Species and Subspecies of the Genus Phenacomys 



Intermedius Group 



Characterized by short tail, and face without distinct 

 yellow wash; found in mountains of the West. 



Rocky Mountain Phenacomys. — Phenacomys intermedius in- 

 termedius Merriam. Plate XXX. 

 As described above. Found in "British Columbia west of 

 the eastern divide of the Rocky Mountains, northeastern 

 Washington, Idaho, eastern and southern Oregon, and 

 northern California; thence in the mountains through 

 southern Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and into northern 

 New Mexico." (Howell) Phenacomys orophilus Merriam, 

 P. prehlei Merriam, and P. cofistablei Allen are all synonyms 

 of P. i. intermedius. 



Alberta Phenacomys. — Phenacomys intermedius levis A. B. 

 Howell. 

 Resembling typical intermedius but skull smaller and 

 weaker. Pelage of upperparts drab at base, tipped with 

 brown, feet pure white; tail faintly bicolor; underparts 

 grayish, sometimes tinged with buffy. Total length, 5.5 

 inches; tail vertebrae, 1.3 inches; hind foot, .7 inch. Found 

 "Upon the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains at least 

 from central Alberta south to Teton County, Mont." 

 (Howell). 



Olympic Phenacomys. — Phenacomys intermedius olympicus 

 (Elliot). 

 Darkest of the short-tailed forms of the genus. Upper- 

 parts dark drab; underparts clear gray; feet white; tail 

 bicolored. Total length, 6.2 inches; tail vertebras, 1.7 

 inches; hind foot, .8 inch. Found "In the Hudsonian Zone 

 of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains of Washington, and 

 as far south as central Oregon." (Howell) 



Sierran Phenacomys. — Phenacomys intermedius celsus A. B. 

 Howell. 

 Very pale, slightly smaller than olympicus. Upperparts 

 wood-brown ; tail bicolor; underparts whitish, tinged usually 

 with buffy. Total length, 5.9 inches; tail vertebrae, 1.6 

 inches; hind foot, .72 inch. Found in "The Sierra Nevada 

 of California from the Lake Tahoe region south probably 

 as far as Tulare County." (Howell) 



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