418 MICHIGAN SURVEY, 1908. 



Adirondacks Merriam ('86, p. 60) says "from four to six young are 

 commonly brought forth early in May." The female is smaller than the 

 male. 



The food of the weasel consists mainly of small mammals and birds, 

 but even animals much larger than itself, as the ruffed grouse, cotton- 

 tails, and, about settlements, chickens, fall to its share. Upon Isle 

 Eoyale, in all probability, the Hares and Grouse come into this class. 

 Its habit of climbing trees, while of great advantage to it, proves to 

 be the opposite for birds. Like the Mink, it follows its prey by scent. 

 Kennicott ('58, p. 106) was of the opinion that it preferred rocky, hilly 

 and forested regions. The frequency with which it occupies the bur- 

 rows of other animals suggests that it does not burrow with ease, al- 

 though according to Kennicott, it burrows in the snow. It also lives a 

 solitary life. 



Reference has already been made to the two seasonal moults of this 

 species as compared with the Least Weasel. This color change, as in 

 the case of the Varying Hare and Red Squirrel, is due to a fall and 

 spring shedding of the old pelage and to the growth of a new one. 

 Winter specimens from the vicinity of Ann Arbor, Mich., vary in color 

 from dark brown, through chocolate colored specimens, to white,; 

 while specimens taken November 6 (No. 34139) and November 18 (No. 

 30019) are white excepting a suffusion of pale brown hairs along the 

 mid-dorsal line, the former specimen having much more brown, espec- 

 ially on the head and neck. 



G-eographic Range. — Southern Maine; New York; Pennsylvania; 

 New Jersey ; south to North Carolina and west to Illinois ; and north 

 to Michigan. A southern variety, notius, occurs in North Carolina. 



13. Myotis siihulatus (Say). Say's Brown Bat. Only two speci- 

 mens of this species were secured ; one by means of a broom in the case 

 of one which entered the Club House on the evening of August 23, 

 190.5, and the other on" September 4, was also taken in the house at 

 Singer's resort near the mouth of Washington Harbor. 



Ecological Notes. — The females usually give birth to two' young (cf. 

 Merriam, '86, p. 195). Some species of bats migrate southward from 

 the northern part of their range (Ehoads, '03, p. 209, Howell, '08). 

 This species has been known to enter abandoned houses in such vast 

 numbers as to become an intolerable nuisance, nearly 10,000 having 

 been killed in one house, (Smith. Ann. Rept. for 1861, pp. 407-409). 

 They take flight not only at dusk but at nearly dawn, and their flight 

 toward and over water has suggested that not only food but water 

 is sought there. 



Geographic Range. — ^Nova Scotia ; Rupert House, Quebec ; Ontario ; 

 Maine; Mass.; New York; Penn. ; Md. ; Va. ; West Va. ; Tennessee; Mich- 

 igan; Indiana; Illinois; Missouri; Wisconsin; Minnesota; Colorado; 

 Alberta. There is a variety of this species, Keenii, occurring in British 

 Columbia. 



14. Myotis lucifugiis (Le Conte). Tve Conte's Brown Bat. Nine 

 specimens of this species were secured by Max M. Peet between August 

 23 and September 6, at Washington Harbor (I, '04). At dusk several 

 were shot while flying over the Harbor. 



A few bats were seen on wing, which perhaps belonged to this species. 



