MAMMALS AND BIRDS. 



A LIST OF MAMMALS AND BIEDS COLLECTED IN WYOMING 

 TEBBITOEY, BY MB. H. D. SMITH AND ME. JAMES STEVEN- 

 SON, DUBING THE EXPEDITION OF 1870. 



By James Stevenson. 



As already stated in the early part of this report, the expedition did 

 what was in its power, within the time at its command, to secure as 

 complete a representation as possible of the vertebrate fauna of the coun- 

 try, and the list of these herewith submitted will show the measure 

 of success. Although the collection of mammals and birds embraces 

 no new species, yet it promises to be of value in determining with greater 

 precision the geographical distribution, and the precise eastern limit of 

 the western forms, and the western range of the eastern species, the 

 region explored having been a kind of common or meeting ground of 

 the two series. We regret that the late date at which the expedition 

 was organized made it impossible to collect facts in regard to the nest- 

 ing and the eggs of any of the birds, as it is in this branch of their his- 

 tory that most of novelty was to be expected. The immature plumage 

 of the gray-crowned finch (Leucosticte tejrtirocotis, Sw.,) was, however, 

 ascertained for the first time, and will be hereafter duly described. 



As complete a collection of the mammals of the country was obtained 

 as practicable, and embraces a considerable number of specimens of all 

 the known Eocky Mountain forms. Among Ihem may be specially 

 mentioned the least or Nuttall's hare, a species scarcely more than six 

 inches in length, and the smallest of all hitherto described; the little 

 chief hare, allied to the true hares, but without any vestige of the tail, 

 and the white-tailed prairie dog. This last-mentioned animal made its 

 appearance after we crossed the divides of the mountains, and, as far as 

 we know, is entirely peculiar to the region drained by the waters of the 

 great interior basin ; while the common prairie dog is equally charac- 

 teristic of the western portions of the valley of the Missouri. 



Mr. C. P. Carrington rendered most efficient aid as a collector in all 

 departments of natural history, especially in the collection of mammals, 

 birds, reptiles, fishes, and plants. 



MAMMALS. 



No. of 

 specimens. 



Canis latrans, Say. Coyote; prairie wolf. Fort Bridger 2 



Putorius richardsonii, Bp. Little ermine. Willow Springs, Eock 



Creek, and South Pass 3 



Mephitis mephitica. Skunk. Black's Fork of Green Elver 3 



Tcixidea americana, Watern. Missouri badger. Pacific Springs.. 2 

 Sciurus liudsonius, Pallas. Eed squirrel; chickaree. Pacific Creek . . 1 

 Sciurus richardsonii, Bach, Eichardson's squirrel. Uinta Moun- 

 tains 7 



Pteromys alpinus, Eichardson. Eocky Mountain flying squirrel. 



Uinta Mountains 1 



