MAMMALS OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 



63 



which has been recorded closer than 17 

 air miles from the north boundary of 

 the park. 



The white-tail is enormous as rabbits 

 go, being about one and one-half times 

 the size of the common black-tailed jack- 

 rabbit that is known so well in the low- 

 lands. I remember once starting one up 

 from under a willow bush in Tuolumne 

 Meadows. My first thought was that it 

 was a fox, so large did it appear. The 

 tail and feet are always white, no matter 

 what the season of the year. During the 

 winter months it has a white coat, al- 

 though the pale brown or black markings 

 of the summer coat may persist on cer- 

 tain points, such as the tips of the ears 

 or nose. 



The white-tailed jackrabbit is more 

 active in the late evening or at night, 

 usually foraging where a fairly unob- 

 structed view is afforded. This means, of 

 course, that approaching enemies can 

 readily be seen while yet at some dis- 



tance. The droppings, flattened spheres 

 about one-half inch in diameter, are to 

 be found scattered about on the flat- 

 topped areas where the animals have fre- 

 quented the high country for many gen- 

 erations. 



The black-tailed jackrabbit. or one 

 of its races, is the commonest jack seen 

 in the West. In recent years, it has en- 

 tered the extreme western part of the 

 park, near Crane Flat and Mather. It can 

 easily be distinguished here by the black 

 upper surface of the tail and very slen- 

 der body. 



The Mariposa brush rabbit is similar 

 in appearance to the well-known cotton- 

 tail, but with very much less "cotton." 

 It is about half the size of the black-tailed 

 jackrabbit, but with ears shorter in com- 

 parison to the body. It is common in 

 the chaparral of the foothills along the 

 west boundary of the park, but has been 

 recorded only once inside the park line. 



all of Like Teboe" by Robert T. Off. Coarttiy of publisher, California Academy of Scienett. 



MOUNTAIN BEAVER 



