PARKS — NEOTOMA IN SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS 
253 
In this bed of leaves were signs of rat excavations showing the trend 
of a vein of mycelium of this offensive fungus. I uncovered a con- 
siderable area and secured some specimens. Along this vein I opened 
up another vein of mycelium belonging to another species of the same 
genus. This latter species is very different from the offensive one, 
particularly in the matter of odor. This odorless species was rejected. 
To the human taste there is no perceptible difference. This latter plant 
is larger and more attractive but not so common. Enlarging the excava- 
tion to the base of a very large rat nest I encountered still another genus 
(Octaviania) with a number of fine large plants. These were all mature 
but not odorous and some of them lay alongside of the offensive species. 
Many of them had been uncovered by the rats but all were ignored. 
In many of these excavations I have found many different species 
of the real truffles but only once have I found one that appeared to 
have been eaten by a rodent and this I think had been bitten by a 
gopher. The truffles are all very finely flavored but apparently few 
of them have any perceptible odor which I think is the cause of their 
rejection for food. I have found in several places however a species 
in a genus very closely related to the truffles which has a very strong 
odor and was much sought for by the rats. This one (genus Elaphomy^ 
ces) is abundant in the center of a large rat colony in the vicinity of 
Saratoga. In excavating for this species the rats opened up a trench 
exposing the mycelium for several feet at a time. This mycelium is 
found at a depth of four to six inches and the fungus is imbedded all 
through it. 
In time of scarcity in the winter when a cold snap has destroyed most 
of the fungi the rats are frequently put to it very hard to secure the 
necessary food supplies. At such times they resort to the remnants 
of common fungi remaining above ground. Wanting these they go 
to extremes to satisfy their appetites. I have found half gnawed buck- 
eyes, large galls from certain oaks, and other things within the nests. 
Twice this last season (1921) have I seen the thick bark of live oaks 
girdled by rats. They are persistent in their search for newly sprouted 
acorns. 
All of the fungi mentioned are to be found in the collections filed 
in the Herbarium of the Department Of Botany of the University of 
California at Berkeley. Acknowledgments are due to Dr. W. A. 
Setchell of the Department of Botany and to Mr. Tracy I. Storer of 
the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology who have been more than helpful 
in the preparation of this paper and in many other ways. 
Berkeley f California. 
