ADAPTATIONS OF THE LIFE OF THE STEPPE 17 



bunch grass type of vegetation which occupies the rougher areas. 

 Steppe areas covered by the Pierre clay frequently have developed 

 on them the wheat grass association. 



Among the mammals conspicuous on the plains are the north- 

 ern coyote*, the gray or buffalo wolf, the kit-fox or swift, large 

 weasel or ermine, striped ground-squirrel or gopher, Jack rabbit 

 or prairie hare, pocket gopher. The prairie dog, badger, the 

 large skunk and the spotted or little skunk are found. The grass- 

 hopper mouse, the large meadow mouse, the little vole or meadow 

 mouse all occur. A few antelope still remain especially west of 

 Slim Buttes and in a large pasture a couple of miles north of 

 Camp Crook. 



The plains birds are especially the following: Western 

 Meadow-lark*, Desert Horned Lark, Lark Bunting, Chestnut- 

 collared Longspur, Western Vesper Sparrow, Brewer's Black- 

 bird, Marsh and Swainson Hawks, Burrowing Owl, Sennett Xight- 

 hawk. Upland Plover, and about the blowouts, the Killdeer. 



The rattle snake (Crotalus*) and the bull snake (Pituophis) 

 are the reptiles commonly found in this association, and they are 

 far from plentiful. Land snails (Succina*) are rare and earth 

 worms are lacking here. Grasshoppers of several genera and 

 many species*, dung beetles, ants, and robber and bot flies, wasps, 

 and running spiders are a few of the groups of insects which are 

 conspicuous. 



fc) Remarks on the "Adaptations'' of the life of the Steppe. 



The adaptations shown by the plant-, are numerous. The 

 following seem to be the most prominent: 



('i) The predominance of perennial herbs of the higher plains. 



Though in favorable years annuals are conspicuous, the char- 

 acteristic vegetation year in and year out is distinctly herbaceous 

 no larger shrubs and of course no trees. This is contrast to 

 woodland, desert, prairie and most marshes. 



(2) Compactness of growth of stalk or of flowers or of both. 



This compactness of stalk is illustrated by almost all the 

 plants. Xo abundant upland species reaches a height, in ordinary 



*For scientific names of mammals see "the list of mammals found in 

 this area" beyond. 



For full scientific names see "the list of the birds," "the list of 

 reptiles," "the list of mollusca" and "the list of insects." 



Sig. 2. 



