36 THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



mountain ranges of Oregon and Wash- name of mountain beaver, but it has 



ington, but its range is restricted to these really very slight relationship to Castor 



two states. This wonderful little animal, fiber. It should be of especial interest to 



whose industry surpasses that of the residents of Washington and Oregon, for 



beaver, was first discovered by Lewis and it is found only in these two states, and 



Clark on their expedition to the Pacific in it has no counterpart in the fauna of the 



1804, but it attracted little attention until world. 



brought more prominently to notice by The sewellels live in large colonies. 

 Dr. C. Hart Merriam in 1885, and its ex- oTten covering three or four acres. They 

 act distribution has yet be defined. This are more industrious than the two species 

 animal was known to the aborigines for described, and in their workings show a 

 ages ba^k by the name of "showtl" or great similarity to the gophers, not only 

 "sewellel," and by them held in super- excavating burrows in which they dwell 

 stitious regard, their belief being that by like the marmots, but also runways under- 

 its constant excavations and incessant ground, of great extent, in which they 

 labor it had dug out the valleys and built travel from one burrow to another, 

 the mountains of the universe; but com- In high altitudes the sewellel§ lay in a 

 mercial enterprise has taken the place of winter store of dry grass in the same 

 mytholology, and the siwash of today manner as the marmots, but in localities 

 recognizes but the fact that the hide of where little or no snow falls they rely for 

 the sewellel is worth "tenas dollar," food in the winter months on evergreen 

 which is willingly paid by his new found shrubs, roots and ferns. They remain 

 friend, John Chinaman. The mountain active all winter, and do not hibernate, 

 beaver, as it is most commonly called, is but reach their food by tunnels through 

 a heavy-set, sturdy little fellow of mar- the snow when necessary, 

 mot-like appearance, measuring over all These animals, in spite of their clumsy 

 about twelve inches. The limbs are appearance, are fairly active climbers, 

 short, powerful and five-toed, each toe and ascend small shrubs to a height of 

 being armed with a strong claw. The four or five feet in order to obtain the 

 eyes are very small and deep set, and the young shoots and leaves, 

 place where the tail ought to be is indi- Sewellels are easily caught with a 

 cated by a tuft of extra long hairs, but naked trap set in their runway, and there- 

 the tall is conspicuous by its absence, giv- fore they disappear rapidly before the ap- 

 ing the animal a decidedly incomplete ap- proach of settlers, but were it not so they 

 pearance. This rodent is found in suit- might do considerable damage to the 

 able localities, from the highest altitudes farmers, several instances having come 

 down to nearly the ocean beach. Its to the writer's notice of their having de- 

 fondness for damp or swampy ground, stroved fine rose trees, 

 together with the color of the fur and BERNARD J. BRETHERTON. 

 general appearance, have given rise to its /« Post-IntdUgenctr. 



