THE OREGON NATURALIST. 137 
SOME OREGON MAMMALS. 
THE JUMPING MOUSE. 
Zapus hudsonius, (sp.?) 
No rodent in the writer’s collection has ex- 
cited more interest than has a mounted speci- 
men of the Jumping Mouse, (sometimes mis- 
called ‘* Jaboa.’’) 
This little natural curiosity is of a dirty 
yellow color on the dorsal surface, fading inte a 
slaty central line, which in specimens from 
Northern Washington show a distinct pear 
shaped pattern. The length of the head and 
body is abont three inches, while the tail is 
five iuches aud extremely slender towards the 
tip. The fore limbs are short and weak while 
the hind limbs are very long, yiving the animal 
the exact appearance of a minature kangaroo 
with a very large head. 
Jumping Mice are found in favorable local- 
ties inallthe foot hills of the Coast Range 
Mountains in Oregon ani] Washington, (jrob 
ably other localities of which the writer has 
no knowledge.) On the oce-n side of the 
range they may be found directly on the sea 
boird; in fact during Jest Summer a number 
were cay tured on the peninsula which separates 
Yaquina Bay from the ocean, 
Their food consists of plants, and grain 
when obtainable, which they gather in their 
internal cheek pouches with which they are 
provided; and what is not at once eaten is 
sto.ed in the nest for future use. 
The nest is composed of dry grass and situated 
at the end of a hole burrowed about two feet 
under the surface of the ground. In this nest 
the animal hibernates during the winter months 
and in it also the young 
the spring, generaily four in number, 
When at rest or undisturbed the Jumping 
Mouse rests the whole of the meta-tarsus on the 
ground; the toes of the hind limbs being on 
the onter side and in front of those of the fore 
are born in 
feet and in this manner they will shuffle along, 
The writer was fortunate in having in_ his 
possession two living specimens for a while, 
perfectly healthy and active, from which the 
2 
following notes were made. They never 
attempted to walk upright but would run 
around on all fours, nsing on their hind feet to 
survey any taller obiect, and, when satisfied 
would settle down on all four feet again 
The average length cleared in a single 
bound when jumping was three feet and the 
highest elevation reached was thirteen inches, 
Experiments were made to ascertain if they 
would jump a perpendicular height, but when 
placed in a narrow box with sides a foot high, 
they could not be induced to make any attempt 
to spring up the sides, but when alarmed would 
only cower in a corner, They seemed to rely 
on hearing more than sight to warn them of 
danger, and would take alarm at the striking 
of a match quicker than anything else. 
After a few hours in captivity they showed no 
fear of being handled, and would play all over 
the writer’s person. 
So far naturalists have recognised but one 
species of Zapus in North America, but there 
are undoubtedly more, which future investi. 
gators will show. 
BERNARD J. BRETHERTON. 
McCoy, OREGON. 
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