202 
FOURTEENTH REPORT. 
7. Marmota monax (Linnaeus). Woodchuck. — These animals are not 
so plentiful as formerly. Their scarcity is probably due to the abundance 
of foxes and badgers which seem to be their only important enemies ex- 
cepting man. Only one specimen was observed, and this one was caught 
and escaped three times from number Ft steel traps before it left the stone 
pile under which it lived. Many insects and even mice have been taken 
from the stomachs of this species of rodent. (Roberts.) (Fig. 17.) 
8. Sciuropterus sabrinus macrotis Mearns. Hudson Bay Flying Squirrel. 
— Flying squirrels are found in considerable numbers when trees are cut 
down, alt ho they are seldom observed at other times. Several are usually 
to be found together in the same hollow tree. The specimen taken, altho 
not quite full grown, shows the plumbous color underneath when the fur 
is parted, which is characteristic of the form. 
MEASUREMENTS. 
Museum Number Sex Length Tail Foot 
42167 female 240 mm 112 34 
9. Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis (Fischer). Northern White- 
footed Deer Mouse. — This mouse is found in considerable numbers in 
almost all of the habitats except the bogs. 
MEASUREMENTS. 
Museum Number 
Sex 
Length 
Tail 
Foot 
42173 
male 
150 mm 
78 
20 
42174 
CC 
160 
75 
21 
42175 
? 
173 
84 
21 
42176 
male 
175 
82 
20 
42177 
female 
167 
75 
20 
42178 
male 
146 
70 
20 
10. Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord). Meadow Mouse. — The meadow 
mouse is well represented thruout the cultivated regions. 
11. Fiber zibethicus (Linn.) Muskrat. — This species is very numerous 
thruout Osceola County, no doubt because of the abundance of small lakes, 
ponds, streams, and marshes which are flooded the greater part of each 
year. 
A small shelf, a few inches in diameter, which the muskrats used as a 
feeding place was closely observed. It was located under the root of a 
tree which had tipped away from the water’s edge to an angle of 45°. 
The feeding place was therefore accessible only from the water. The 
whole space under the root was literally covered with pieces of the stems, 
flowers, and leaves of the yellow water lily, stems of another plant resembl- 
ing boneset (not identified), and the shells of the fresh water mussels. The 
shells were well covered with teeth marks. The writer was told that large 
piles of such shells are often found, and that dead fish are often used by 
trappers as bait for muskrats (Roberts). 
Mr. Peterson, on whose farm (situated one mile west of LeRoy) there 
is a small pond, says that muskrats inhabiting this pond become a nuisance, 
as they catch young poultry, especially ducks, and also because they 
burrow back into the adjoining fields to such an extent that areas several 
feet in diameter are caused to cave in. That muskrats do capture young 
