Mammals of Mesa Verde National Park, ColoradoAnderson, Sydney
Science
Mammals of Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Anderson, Sydney
Mammals -- Colorado -- Mesa Verde National Park
The specimen from Rock Springs was taken in a net as noted in the
account of _Myotis evotis_. The specimens from Square Tower House were
obtained by D. Watson in a dimly lighted chamber formed by fracture in
the rocks at the bottom of the canyon wall, above the talus slope. The
bats were suspended from the wall of the chamber, which was at least six
feet wide and fifteen feet long.
Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana (Saussure) Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
_Specimens examined._--Total, 2: Cliff Palace, 6800 ft., MV
7862/507 and 7863/507, males, both collected by A.E. Borell, on
August 23, 1936.
Lepus californicus texianus Waterhouse Black-tailed Jackrabbit
The black-tailed jackrabbit inhabits the Montezuma Valley to the north
of the Mesa Verde and the Mancos Valley to the northeast, and has been
seen occasionally on the top of the Mesa according to reports with date
and locality noted in the files at the Park for the years 1941, 1942,
1947, 1948, 1950, and 1951. In 1942 four observations were made, in 1950
and 1951 two observations were recorded each year, and in other years
only one observation was recorded each year. Nine observations are for
Chapin Mesa south of Far View; only two observations are for higher
elevations on the North Rim.
Sylvilagus audubonii warreni Nelson Desert Cottontail
_Specimens examined._--Total, 2: Head of Prater Canyon, MV
7850/507; Far View Ruins, 75974, ad. [Female], non-pregnant,
November 8, 1957.
One specimen was shot, while it was sitting near a pile of logs, by J.R.
Alcorn by means of a bow and arrow. Although _S. audubonii_ occurs on
the Mesa along with _S. nuttallii_, _S. audubonii_ is the species of the
lowlands throughout the western United States at the latitude of Mesa
Verde National Park. For example, _S. a. warreni_ (69260) but not _S. n.
pinetis_ was obtained along the east side of the Mancos River at 6200
feet elevation (less than 50 yards outside the Park) and the same was
true at the same elevation at a place 4-1/2 mi. N of the Park (No. 69259
from 2 mi. E Cortez).
Sylvilagus nuttallii pinetis (J.A. Allen) Nuttall's Cottontail
_Specimens examined._--Total, 3: ad. [Male], 69263, skull only,
dead on road, 1-3/4 mi. N Park Headquarters, 7275 feet, August 9,
1956; ad. [Female], 69261, no embryos, dead on road, 3/4 mi. S
and 1-3/4 mi. W Park Point, 8000 ft, August 8, 1956; ad. [Male],
69262, shot in brushy area on the burn on Wetherill Mesa 2 mi. NNW
Rock Springs, 7900 ft., August 24, 1956.
Nuttall's cottontail in Colorado is in general the cottontail of the
highlands, and the three localities just mentioned are on the top of the
Mesa Verde.
Sciurus aberti mimus Merriam Abert's Squirrel
_Specimens examined._--Total, 2: [Male], MV 7872/507, prepared
by D. Watson, killed by a car "near" the Park Well on September 24,
1937; [Female] (an unnumbered cased skin only), found dead
"near" the Park Well on June 21, 1937.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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