Cantankerous Vole 
99 
Microtus mordax (Lat. mordax, biting). Cantankerous 
Vole. 
Arvicola mordax, N . A. Fauna, No. 5, p. 61 (189 1). 
Type locality. — Sawtooth Lake, on the eastern base of Sawtooth 
Mt., Idaho, 7,200 feet (Merriam and Bailey). 
Measurements. — Total length, 7.15; tail vert,, 2.6; hind foot, o.q. 
Description. — (From a specimen taken at Crested Butte, Oct. 
17th): Above grizzled grayish brown, somewhat lighter than in M. 
modestus and darker than in M. nanus, but the sides are distinctly 
gray; feet gray; under parts whitish gray, somewhat lighter than in 
AI. modestus or AI. nanus; tail bicolor, similar to back above, gray- 
ish below. Easily distinguished from M . modestus by longer tail, 
and from Al . nanus by long tail and larger size. 
Distribution. — The Cantankerous Vole has a very extensive 
distribution, from 60° North Latitude south to New Mexico, and 
with wide longitudinal range. It is recorded from Circle City, White 
Pass, and Skagway, Alaska; British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest 
FIG. 33. CANTANKEROUS VOLE, AUcTotus mordax 
About f life size— E. R. Warren, Photo. 
Territory, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Cah- 
fornia, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico. In Colorado it has 
