MAMMALS OF UTAH 69 



than in the wintec pelage, the buff on sides less pronounced 

 and often lacking. (Howell.) 



Distribution— The west half of Utah. 



Habits — The food of the harvest mouse consists mostly 

 of seeds, grain, green vegetation, and some fruit. Mr. C. W. 

 Seegmiller, of St. George, Utah, states that he has known 

 the harvest mice to do some damage by climbing grain stalks 

 and cutting off the heads. He has found their nests built 

 several feet from the ground in close-growing clusters of 

 grain stalks. (Howell.) 



AZTEC HARVEST MOUSE 



REITHRODONTOMYS MEGALOTIS AZTECUS (Allen) 



Reithrodontomys aztecus Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. V." 

 1893, p. 79. 



Description — Characters — Similar to megalotis but with 

 larger ears and skull. Color — Not appreciably different from 

 that of megalotis; ears sometimes with irregular dusky 

 blotches. (Howell.) 



Distribution — This species ranges throughout northern 

 New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah and 

 western Colorado, north as far as Grand Junction. Speci- 

 mens have been taken from Bluff City and Nolan's ranch 

 on the San Juan river. 



Habits^ — The habits of this species are the same as 

 those of megalotis. 



The harvest mice are pre-eminently field mice. Practi- 

 cally all the known species live in more or less open, grassy 

 situations and are partial to neglected fields, with grasses 

 or sedges and to weedy and grassy borders of cultivated 

 tracts. Some species, and perhaps all, construct substantial 

 nests of grasses, often lined with soft materials and placed 

 either on the ground or in vines, bushes, or low trees some 

 distance above the ground. All the species live chiefly 

 above ground, but burrows are also used. (Howell.) 



