380 



NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



/. Mammals 



The principal native mammals in the 

 Canadian conifer forest of Isle Royale 

 are the marten (Maries americana}, 

 Bonaparte weasel (Mustela cicognanii}, 

 deer-mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus} , 

 red squirrel (Sciurus hudsonicus}, snow- 

 shoe hare (Lepus americanus}, moose 

 (Alces americanus}, and rarely caribou 

 (Rangifer caribou}. 



In the hardwood forests of the main- 

 land of the northern peninsula of Michi- 

 gan all these forms occur except the 

 caribou, and numerous forms occur 

 which do not occur on the island. The 

 deer-mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus 

 gracilis} and the red squirrel (Sciurus 

 hudsonicus loquax) are slightly different 

 from those occurring on Isle Ro3 r ale. 

 The bob-tailed shrew (Blarina brevi- 

 cauda talpoides} is very common in 

 some of the wetter parts of the forests 

 and in swamps. Several bats occur in 

 summer, of which the most common 

 seems to be the little brown bat (Myotis 

 lucifugus}. The black bear (Ursus 

 americanus} and the timber wolf (Cam's 

 lycaori) are numerous, and so is the red 

 fox (Vulpes fulva). The fisher (Martes 

 pennanti} now is rare, though formerly 

 more common; a few bob-cats (Lynx 

 rufus} occur; and the skunk (Mephitis 

 hudsonica} is common. The Canada 

 lynx (Lynx canadensis) is reported to 

 have formerly been numerous, but it is 

 now practically extinct. The red- 

 backed vole (Evotomys gapperi) is 

 common, while the jumping-mouse 

 (Zapus hudsonius} is less common in the 

 forest than it is in grass and sedge 

 meadows. The porcupine (Erethizon 

 dorsatum} is abundant, but woodchucks 

 (Marmota monax canadensis} are few 

 in the forest. The eastern chipmunk 

 (Tamias striatus lysteri} is numerous, 

 but the western type of chipmunk 

 (Eutamias minimus borealis} prefers 

 the more open brush, and probably was 

 never common in the dense hardwood 

 forests. The northern flying-squirrel 

 (Glaucomys sabrinus macrotis} is fairly 

 common, though not often seen. The 



Virginia deer (Odocoileus virginianus 

 borealis} is common, but the moose is rare. 



In addition to these forms living in the 

 forest proper, the star-nosed mole (Con- 

 dylura cristata} occurs principally in 

 marshy places, as do several species of 

 shrews (Sorex personalus, S. richard- 

 sonii, and Neosorex palustris}. The 

 mink (Mustela vison group) and the otter 

 (Lutra canadensis} occur chiefly along 

 streams and lake shores, as do the 

 muskrat (Ondatra zibethica} and beaver 

 (Castor canadensis michiganensis} . The 

 meadow vole (Microtvs pennsyhanicus) 

 occurs rather rarely in marshes and 

 meadows. Within recent years, with 

 the clearing of the forests, the brush 

 wolf or coyote (Cam's latrans) has spread 

 from the westward completely over this 

 peninsula. 



In the hardwood forests of the middle 

 and northern portions of the southern 

 peninsula the mammals show slight 

 differences from those of the northern 

 peninsula, although much the same 

 forms are present. The moose, Lake 

 Superior chipmunk, and the northern 

 shrews are absent. The weasel (Mustela 

 noveboracensis) and skunk (Mephitis 

 nigra} are a different species from those 

 of the northern peninsula; and the forest 

 deer-mouse is a more southern form 

 (Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis) ; 

 a different subspecies of woodchuck 

 (Marmota monax rufescens) is found; and 

 a southern form of flying squirrel (Glau- 

 comys volans) replaces the one of the 

 northern peninsula. The masked shrew 

 (Sorex personatus}, bob-tailed shrew, 

 black bear, timber wolf, red fox, marten, 

 fisher, bob-cat, jumping-mouse, porcu- 

 pine, eastern chipmunk, red squirrel, 

 snowshoe hare, and Virginia deer, how- 

 ever, all occur in the forest. In addition 

 to these forms, the raccoon (Procyon 

 lotor), gray tox^(Urocyon cinereoargen- 

 teus}, gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis 

 leucotis), and elk (Cervus canadensis} 

 were formerly common, and a few cougars 

 (Felis couguar} were found. In swamps 

 and along the shores of lakes and 

 streams the star-nosed mole, mink, otter, 

 muskrat, and beaver were abundant. 



