54 
The Mammals of Colorado 
Ochotona saxatilis (Lat., that dwells among rocks). 
Cony. Pika. 
Ochotona saxatilis Bangs, Proc. New Eng. Zool. Club, i., p. 41 
(1899). 
Type locality.^ — Snowy Range, Montgomery, Park Co., Colorado. 
Measurements. — Total length, 7.60; hind foot, 1.25. 
Description. — (From specimen taken Oct. 15th, at Crested Butte.) 
Above mixed gray, black, and a little ochraceous ("pepper and 
salt" describes the combination very well); sides a pale buffy 
ochraceous, as also sides of head. Chin and throat pale buffy, 
belly buffy white. The fur looks and feels like that of a rabbit, and 
the skin is very thin and tender, as in a rabbit. 
Distribution. — This species has been reported from Colorado only ; 
it is confined to the mountains, usually ranging from 9,000 feet up 
to above timber-line, its range being governed very much by the 
presence of slide rock amongst which it prefers to live ; and it is the 
presence of slide rock that occasionally brings it down to lower 
elevations. The lowest we have heard of is No Name Creek near 
Glenwood Springs, where it comes down to between 7,000 and 8,000 
feet, having followed down a slide from the mountains. It is 
seemingly found in all our mountain counties. 
Habits. — As will be inferred from the account of the dis- 
tribution conies are rock-loving creatures, and it is among 
the rocks that they live, and in the slide rock when there is 
any, for amongst its numberless cracks and crevices they 
find dwellings and refuges without end. The food is ex- 
clusively vegetable, and consists of any of the plants growing 
where they live. Besides eating these plants from day to day 
to satisfy immediate needs, conies store considerable quan- 
tities of these plants, making little hay-piles among the rocks; 
these piles often contain a bushel or more of food, and are 
usually shaped like a haycock, though sometimes the "hay" 
is piled under the rocks, instead of on top. This is probably a 
winter food supply, but little is known of their winter habits. 
These high altitudes in our snowy mountains are not safe 
places to be investigating the life histories of an animal in 
winter, when a snowslide is liable to come along and put 
