PIKA 



haired; eyes fair sized, but relatively much smaller than in 

 the Hares; ears rounded, of good size, haired inside as well as 

 outside; fur soft, lax, and dense. The voice of the Pika, 

 an indescribable "bleat," is like the call of no other mammal 

 and identifies the creature unmistakably. 



Color. — Sexes colored alike. 



Upperparts. — Grayish or buffy, the hairs slate-colored at 

 base, color variable with the individual and ranging from 



Fig. 99. Pika 



pinkish buff, clay color, or ochraceous tawny to a fuscous 

 or grayish mixture. Feet whitish to cinnamon-buff; ears 

 brownish or blackish; sides much like back. 



Underparts. — Whitish, varying to cinnamon-buff; soles of 

 feet buffy white, brownish, or fuscous. 



Summer pelage more richly colored with tawny or ochrac- 

 eous than winter pelage. 



Pikas molt twice annually (except for Ochotona ccllaris), 

 and there is generally a well-marked line between the fresh 

 and the worn pelage. The new pelage appears first on the 

 head and progresses evenly backward, replacing the old pelage 

 last on the underparts. 



Measurements. — No noticeable differences between males 

 and females. Total length, 7.6 inches; hind foot, 1.2 inches. 



Geographical Distribution. — Rocky Mountain region. 



Food. — Vegetation; leaves, flowers, stems of many species 

 of plants; much of this is sun dried to make "hay." Among 

 other species the following plants have been noted in the 

 "hay-stacks" — nettles, chokecherry, currant, gooseberry, 

 raspberry, lupine, aspen, goldenrod, fireweed, huckleberry, 

 elderberry, and grasses. 



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