476 



University of California Publications in Geology [Vol. 10 



Sylvilagus baehmani mariposae Grinnell and Mariposa brush rabbit 

 Storer 



Cervus nannodes Merriam, C. H. Dwarf elk 



Odocoileus hemionus hemionus (Rafinesque) Eocky mountain mule deer 



Antilocapra americana americana (Ord) Prong-horn antelope 



The smaller carnivores and rodents present in the Pleistocene fauna 

 of Hawver Cave are for the most part directly comparable to forms 

 living in the vicinity of the caves at the present time. Unfortunately 

 the rodent remains are not complete enough to furnish satisfactory 

 evidence as to the life zone or zones represented by the fauna. In so 

 far as known the rodents seem to reflect mainly the Upper Sonoran 

 zone. As shown by Louise Kellog'g ,!) the greater number of rodents 

 from Potter Creek Cave and from Samwel Cave are types found in 

 the Transition and Boreal zones. The only characteristic represent- 

 ative of the latter zones to be found at Hawver Cave is Aplodontia, 

 a rodent originally listed in the cave fauna by Furlong. 



The larger mammals, such as the carnivores and ungulates, in 

 possessing a more extensive geographic range are less likely to be 

 characteristic of particular zones. They serve therefore as less deli- 

 cate instruments for recording climatic changes by indicating the 

 situation of life zones in a former period. Nevertheless they are ex- 

 cellent indicators of climatic fluctuations in the large. 



In marked contrast to the Recent fauna is the presence in the 

 Pleistocene assemblage of sabre -tooth cats, ground-sloths, euceratheres 

 and the mastodon. Among the large ungulates were also present the 

 deer, the bison and the horse. The only form of this group at present 

 existing in the fauna is the deer, Odocoileus. The Recent dwarf elk 

 and the prong-horn antelope are unrecorded in the cave deposit. Of 

 the large carnivores the bears, dogs and cats occur in both the Pleisto- 

 cene and Recent faunas but probably many of them are specifically 

 distinct. An extinct species of puma is related to Felis oregonensis 

 h ippolestes. 



9 Kellogg, L., Pleistocene rodents of California, Univ. Calif. Publ., Bull. Dept. 

 Geol., vol. 7, pp. 151-168, 1912. 



