NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



521 



Original faunal conditions 



Mammals. 1 Characteristic mammals 

 of the Missouri-river bluff region were 

 the opossum (Didelphis virginiana), 

 spotted skunk (Spilogale interrupta}, 

 woodland vole (Microtus nemoralis), 

 woodchuck (Marmota monax), fox squir- 

 rel (Sciurus niger rufiventer), and flying- 

 squirrel (Glaucomysvolans). Of these all 

 but the opossum and skunk are prac- 

 tically confined to the Missouri region. 



In the prairie region were found 

 originally great herds of bison; while 

 other characteristic forms were probably 

 the coyote, badger, prairie vole (Micro- 

 tus ochrogaster), pocket-gopher, striped 

 ground-squirrel, Franklin ground-squir- 

 rel (Citellus franklinii), and white- 

 tailed jackrabbit. 



Among the mammals known to occur 

 natively in the sand hill region are the 

 sand-hill ground-squirrel (Citellus obso- 

 letus), grasshopper-mouse (Onychomys 

 leucogaster arcticeps}, deer-mouse, har- 

 vest-mouse, Hayden vole (Microtus 

 ochrogaster haydeni), plains pocket- 

 gopher (Geomys lutescens), Richardson 

 kangaroo-rat (Dipodomys ordii richard- 

 soni), and Kansas pocket-mouse (Perog- 

 nathus hispidus paradoxus). 



The plains region has as characteristic 

 forms the bison, pronghorn antelope, 

 coyote, black-footed ferret (Mustela 

 nigripes), swift fox, badger, striped 

 ground-squirrel, prairie-dog, Hayden 

 vole, pocket-mouse (Perognathus spp.), 

 and white-tailed jackrabbit. 



In the coniferous woodland of the 

 northwestern part of the state are found 

 such species as the yellow-haired por- 

 cupine (Erethizon epixanthum), woodrat, 

 wolverine (Gulo luscus), northern plains 

 skunk (Mephitis hudsonica), pale chip- 

 munk (Eutamias pallidus}, and red 

 squirrel (Sciurus hudsonicus dakotensis}. 



Present faunal conditions 



The Missouri River bluffs and prairie 

 regions of the state are characterized 

 by the mammals: the opossum, gray 



1 Scientific names of mammals occurring in the 

 South Dakota account do not occur here. 



squirrel, woodchuck, flying-squirrel, 

 woodland vole, red fox, and spotted 

 skunk, and all but the opossum and 

 skunk are practically confined to the 

 Missouri region. The rest of the state is 

 characterized by the pocket-mouse, 

 kangaroo-rat, prairie-dog, long-tailed 

 weasel, sand-hill ground-squirrel and 

 black-footed ferret, except in the conif- 

 erous woodland of the northwest where 

 the long-eared bat, yellow-haired por- 

 cupine, mountain rat, northern pocket- 

 gopher, wolverine, northern plains 

 skunk, and subarctic deer-mouse are 

 characteristic. 



The Missouri region has more than a 

 score of woodland birds which as sum- 

 mer residents and breeders are peculiar 

 to it, including the woodchuck, ruffed 

 grouse, broad-winged hawk, bald eagle, 

 least flycatcher, many warblers, and the 

 brown creeper. There are no birds 

 peculiar to the prairie region, which 

 shares with the Missouri region some 

 60 savanna and prairie forms, but many 

 of them, as the prairie horned lark, 

 bobolink, lark sparrow, and Bell vireo, 

 find here the most favorable environ- 

 ment. As steppe birds may be men- 

 tioned the long-billed curlew, sharp- 

 tailed grouse, Sennett nighthawk, desert 

 horned lark, several western sparrows, 

 arctic towhee and black-headed gros- 

 beak, with about 16 other species. 

 Conspicuous birds of this region in the 

 state, though not confined to it, are the 

 sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chicken, 

 sparrow hawk, burrowing owl, Arkansas 

 kingbird, and lark bunting. The sand 

 hill lakes harbor a numerous water- 

 bird population, fourteen species being 

 confined to this region during the breed- 

 ing season. The characteristic birds of 

 the plains are the mountain plover, 

 poor-will, western nighthawk, Say 

 phoebe, magpie, Bullock oriole, Brewer 

 blackbird, chestnut-collared and 

 McCown longspurs, Brewer sparrow, 

 rock wren, and others. Finally, in the 

 coniferous woodland are 25 species 

 peculiar to it as summer residents, 

 including the sharp-shinned and Krider 

 hawks, golden eagle, prairie falcon, 



