MAMMALS OF UTAH 77 



dusky gray above, whitish below. (Winter pelage unknown). 

 Young: Similar to adult, but slightly duller throughout. 

 (Bailey.) 



Distribution — Rocky Mountain and outlying ranges 

 from central Idaho southward to central Nevada, and south- 

 ern Colorado, in Canadian zone. Specimens have been taken 

 from the Uinta mountains. 



Habits — This species inhabits the boreal zones, being 

 seen far above timberline on some of the mountain ranges. 

 It prefers dry, grassy parks on the higher mountain slopes. 



CANTANKEROUS VOLE 



MICROTUS MORDAX (Merriam) 



Arvicola (Mynomes) mordax Merriam, N. A. F. No. 5, 61, 



July 30, 1891. 

 Microtus vellerosus Allen, Bui. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. XII, 7, 



March, 1899. (Liard River, Northwest Territory). 

 Microtus cautus Allen, Bui. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. XII, 7, March, 



1899. (Hell Gate, Liard River, Northwest Territory.) 



Description — Summer pelage: Back grayish bister; 

 sides olive gray ; belly washed with whitish ; nose dusky ; feet 

 plumbeous; tail dimly bicolor, dusky above, soiled whitish 

 below. Winter pelage: Lighter colored than in summer; 

 dorsal stripe of yellowish bister more sharply contrasted 

 with the deeper gray of sides and face ; belly heavily washed 

 with pure white ; tail sharply bicolor ; feet whitish. Young : 

 Darker, less sharply marked than the adults; feet and tail 

 dusky. (Bailey.) 



Distribution — Rocky mountains and outlying ranges 

 from latitude 60 degrees to northern New Mexico, and south 

 in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada as far as Kaweah and 

 Kern rivers^ California. Specimens have been taken at Lake- 

 town, Park City, and Barclay. 



Habits — This species is abundant throughout the Cana- 

 dian and Hudsonian zones of the mountains, and follows, 

 down cold streams in places through the Transition zones. 

 It is fond of forests and of cool, damp situations where the 

 vegetation is rank. (Cary.) 



