1936] MAMMALS OF OREGON 261 



Distribution and habitat. The low, hot arid sagebrush country 

 around the Great Bend of the Columbia in northern Oregon and 

 southern Washington and up the Snake River Valley to Lewiston, 

 Idaho (fig. 57). 



General habits. These large valley pocket gophers, occupying the 

 sandy bottoms of the Columbia River Valley, are now found mainly 

 in cultivated fields of alfalfa and grain. At Umatilla, Peck found 

 them common in alfalfa fields and along irrigation ditches. Near 

 Willows, or Heppner Junction, Jewett found them common through- 

 out the cultivated valley in alfalfa fields and orchards and in the 

 ditch banks, where they are often forced to take refuge to escape be- 

 ing drowned out by irrigation of the level fields. On April 2 he 

 caught a well-grown young of the year, and on April 5 took a male 

 and female in the same burrow. Evidently in this mild climate 

 they begin breeding early, and the large number of 12 mammae would 

 indicate a prolific species. Only in adult 'females are all of the 

 mammae usually developed, and some variation is shown even in 

 adults. 



Unless controlled, this large, prolific pocket gopher in an irrigated 

 district of intensive agriculture is potentially a serious menace to 

 crops. 



ORDER CARNIVORA: FLESH EATERS 



Family FELIDAE: Cats 



FELIS CONCOLOR OREGONENSIS RAFINESQUE 



OREGON COUGAB ; MOUNTAIN LION ; PANTHER ; DOS-LOTCH of the Klamath 

 (C. H. M.) ; SWO-WAH of the Nisqually (G. S.) 



Fells oregonensis Rafinesque, Atlantic Jour. 1 : 62, 1832. 



Type locality. " Western Oregon Mountains." 



General characters. Largest of Oregon cats (pi. 40, B), almost as great as 

 that of the Rocky Mountain cougar, but colors darker and richer with more 

 black on tail; upper parts dark tawny, or rusty brown, becoming bright cin- 

 namon brown on sides ; top of tail darker brown than back, darkening into the 

 long black terminal part; back of ears and spot on each side of nose black; 

 lower parts whitish on chin, chest, and belly; throat tawny. Young light 

 tawny, coarsely and irregularly spotted over upper parts; legs and tail dusky 

 or dark tawny. 



Measurements. A large cougar killed in Josephine County measured 7% feet 

 from tip to tip and weighed 150 pounds (Oreg. Sportsman 2: 15, 1914). Others 

 have been recorded up to 8 and 9 feet in length, but the largest skulls do not 

 equal some from the Rocky Mountains. 



Distribution and habitat. The Oregon mountain lions inhabit 

 the western part of the State (fig. 59) and extend southward into 

 California and northward into Washington to an unknown distance, 

 as the group has not yet been monographed and limits of range are 

 not definitely known. There are specimens from numerous localities 

 in Oregon in and west of the Cascade Mountains, all of which are 

 referable to this dark, richly colored form. They are mainly deep- 

 forest animals and are generally most abundant where the greatest 

 number of deer are to be found, without much regard to type of 

 country. 



Abundance. Apparently they have been common in Oregon since 

 the "earliest explorations as they have been mentioned by most of the 



