UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS 



IN 



ZOOLOGY 



Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 49-74, plates 1-3, 3 figures in text December 10, 1919 



NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE 



BUSHY-TAILED WOOD RATS OF ^^*^^^^^^^^^^^^^,^ 



CALIFORNIA / q^q 2 9 1919 



BY 



JOSEPH DIXON 



(Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California) 





CONTENTS 



PAGE 



Introduction 49 



The two subspecies in California 50 



Fossil forms 57 



Distribution 57 



Local associations 58 



Mannerisms and behavior 58 



Timidity and reflexes : 59 



Tracks and other sign 60 



Houses 61 



Hibernation 62 



Breeding season 62 



Growth of young 63 



Eelation to other animals 64 



Foraging 65 



Food 65 



Population -- 66 



Economic status 67 



Literature cited 68 



INTEODUCTION 



It is the function of the present paper to place on record such facts 

 as have been learned to date in regard to the habits and associational 

 relationships of the bushy-tailed wood rats occurring in California. 

 The chief available source of this information has lain in the field 

 notebooks and series of specimens contained in the Museum of Verte- 

 brate Zoology. The systematic position and subspecific constitution 



