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IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 
Gitellus franTcUni (Sabine). Franklin’s Spermophile* — Ten specimens of 
this spermophile were taken in eastern Clay County by the museum collectors. 
The species is less common than C. tridecemUneatus but is far from rare. It 
is apparently rarer than it is, as the individuals occur principally in colonies 
and usually retreat to the burrows on the first suspicion of danger. 
Mus musculus Linnaeus. House Mouse. — Common everywhere about build- 
ings. 
Peromyscus maniculatus 'bairdii (Hoy and Kennicott). Baird’s Field Mouse. 
(Michigan Mouse). — Nine specimens of this species were secured by the ex- 
pedition. They were found in burrows in stubble fields, pastures, and on the 
shores of lakes. 
Reithrodontomys griseus (Bailey). Little Gray Harvest Mouse. — An adult 
male was taken by Ruthven, August 22, 1907, in a stubble field in western 
Palo Alto County. 
Microtus drummondi (Audubon and Bachman)? Prairie Meadow Vole. — A 
single specimen thus identified by E. W. Nelson was taken (1907) in a low 
meadow in Clay County. Only the skull was saved. 
Fiber zibethicus (Linnaeus). Musk Rat. — The musk rat is very abundant 
in Clay and Palo Alto Counties, as might be inferred from the numerous lakes. 
All of the sloughs and perennial ponds still contain numbers of houses. Three 
specimens were secured by the museum expedition. 
Geomys bursarius (Shaw). Shaw’s Pocket Gopher. — Three specimens were 
collected in 1907. The species is abundant throughout the region, on the prairie, 
in pastures, and in cultivated fields — particularly along the fences. It seems 
to avoid the low meadows, being found only on the higher and dryer ground. 
Bylvilagus floridanus mearnsi (Allen). Mearn’s Cottontail. — Twelve speci- 
mens were obtained by the museum expedition. The cottontail is abundant in 
all of the land habitats both wooded and grass-covered. 
Lepus campestris (Bachman). White-tailed Jack Rabbit. — Three specimens 
were secured by the museum expedition in eastern Clay County and six by 
Nels Hansen in western Palo Alto County. This hare is yearly becoming more 
rare in the region studied. At present it seems to be principally confined to 
the restricted areas of original prairie during the summer months, but is 
frequently found in the cultivated fields in the winter. Within a few years 
it will probably be entirely extinct in Clay and Palo Alto Counties. 
Canis latrans Say. Barking Coyote. — The coyote was formerly quite coni- 
mon in Clay and Palo Alto Counties, but it is now practically extinct. About 
twenty years ago Ruthven saw several litters of pups that were taken near 
Lost Island Lake in Palo Alto County. 
Taxidea taxus (Schreber). Badger. — No badgers were observed by the mu- 
seum expedition, but this is no indication of their .abundance in view of the 
secretive habits of the species. Ruthven observed it many times both in Clay 
and Palo Alto Counties previous to 1903, and it is with little doubt still to be 
found in favorable habitats. 
Chincha Jiudsonica (Richardson). Northern Plains Skunk. — Two specimens 
apparently referrable to this species were secured by the museum expedition. 
The species is common and generally distributed in the two counties. 
