I894.J 177 TMiller. 
ON A COLLECTION OF SMALL MAMMALS FROM 
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE MOUNTAINS. 
BY GERRIT S. MILLER, JR. 
During- the early part of July, 1893, Mr. Oiitratu Bangs and 
the writer spent a little less than two weeks in collecting small 
mammals among the White Mountains. Wet weather during 
most of this time made trapping so difficult that only a small 
number of specimens were secured, but many of these are of 
great interest. Our work was confined to two localities, the 
summit of Mount Washington, and the region between Profile 
Lake and Franconia. The greater part of the time (July 8-17) 
was spent on Mount Washington, where our work was confined 
to the treeless summit. At Franconia and Profile Lake we 
worked but three days, July 18-20 inclusive. 
Mount Washington is in the southern part of Coos County, 
New Hampshire, and rises to a height of 6,280 feet. It is the 
principal peak of the Presidential Range, the highest mountains 
in New England. Dense forests of spruce, balsam, and paper 
birch cover the sides of these mountains up to about 4,000 feet, 
at which altitude the trees become dwarfed. All tree growth 
disappears at slightly above 5,000 feet, giving place to a vegeta- 
tion of hardy alpine herbs and shrubs. The summit of Mt. 
Washington is everywhere covered with loose fragments of rock, 
and presents a barren and forbidding appearance. Our trapping 
here was done chiefly in three places : (1) at the head of Great 
Gulf (5,500 ft.) ; (2) in the Alpine Garden near the head of 
Tuckerman's Ravine (5,400 ft. to 5,200 ft.) ; and (3) at the 
Lake of the Clouds (5,200 ft.). There was little variation 
in the general character of the land. Everywhere the loose 
fragments of rock were more or less covered with turf of hardy 
sedge. Beneath the rocks and turf, cavities abounded, in which 
running water might often be heard. Surface water occurred 
frequently in depressions or extensive level areas. In the Alpine 
Garden there were numerous ice-cold pools and rills, the latter 
appearing suddenly, and, after wandering for a few rods among 
the rocks, as unexpectedly vanishing. Near the Lake of the 
Clouds there were several good-sized ponds, the exact size of 
PUUCKKDINGS li. S. N. H. VOL. XXVI. 12 MAK. 1894. 
