_Specimens examined._--Total, 10: Headquarters, MV 7890/507 and
probably 7861/507, 74421 MVZ; Spruce Tree Lodge, 6950 ft.,
34802-34803; Spruce Tree House, 74419-74420 MVZ; Square Tower
House, MV 7869/507; Cliff Palace, 74422 MVZ; Balcony House, MV
7868/507.
The Mexican wood rat is the most common species of wood rat on the Mesa
Verde. The two specimens from Spruce Tree Lodge obtained by R.B. Finley
on September 2, 1949, are young individuals.
Another species of the genus, the white-throated wood rat, _Neotoma
albigula_, may occur within the Park, since three specimens
(34757-34759) from the Mesa Verde were trapped on September 15,
1949, by R.B. Finley, approximately 4-1/2 miles south of the Park
[6 mi. E, 17 mi. S Cortez, 5600 ft.--south of the area shown in
Figure 2]. Finley (1958:450) stated that at that locality he
trapped _Neotoma mexicana_ [No. 34801], that _N. albigula_ was
perhaps more common there than _N. mexicana_, that dens of _N.
albigula_ were more common than those of _N. mexicana_ under large
rocks in the talus on the south slope of the Mesa, and that dens of
_N. mexicana_ seemed to be more numerous in crevices of ledges in
the bedrock and cliffs.