Washington, elevation 2,800 feet, September 14, 1934. Western hemlock,
Douglas fir, western red cedar, and grand fir. (Fish and Wildlife
Service photo by Victor B. Scheffer, No. 325.)]
THE HUDSONIAN LIFE-ZONE
In Washington the Hudsonian Life-zone is of greater diversity than any
other. Frost and steep slopes have formed great masses of talus and, in
this talus, certain species of mammals, such as _Ochotona princeps_,
_Marmota caligata_ and _Marmota olympus_ are found. Other species, such
as the golden-mantled ground squirrels, mountain chipmunk, bushy-tailed
wood rat, red-backed mouse and long-tailed meadow mouse find the talus
an ideal home. Glacial action has produced, in the Hudsonian Life-zone,
numerous level or concave areas that contain small lakes and slow-moving
streams. Dense, herbaceous vegetation is abundant nearby. Small mammals
abound and a line of mouse traps will almost certainly catch a few such
typical species as: _Sorex palustris_, _Sorex obscurus_, _Microtus
oregoni_, _Microtus richardsoni_, _Microtus longicaudus_ and _Zapus
princeps_ as well as the ever present _Peromyscus maniculatus_. The
shrew-mole or heather vole might also be taken, though the latter is
more apt to be found in nearby heather meadows.
TABLE 1. Distribution of mammals in Washington by Life-Zones. _A._
Abundant. _C._ Common. _R._ Rare.
Column headers:
A: Humid Transition
B: Arid-timbered Transition
C: Arid-grasslands Transition
D: Upper Sonoran
E: Canadian
F: Hudsonian
===========================================+===+===+===+===+===+===
SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES. | A | B | C | D | E | F
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Neurotrichus gibbsii gibbsii | | | | | ? | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
gibbsii minor | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Scapanus townsendii | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
orarius orarius | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
orarius schefferi | | | | C | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
orarius yakimensis | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Sorex cinereus cinereus | | R | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
cinereus streatori | R | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
merriami merriami | | | | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
trowbridgii trowbridgii | A | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
trowbridgii destructioni | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
vagrans vagrans | A | | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
vagrans monticola | | C | C | A | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
obscurus obscurus | | | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
obscurus setosus | C | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
palustris navigator | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
bendirii bendirii | A | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
bendirii albiventer | C | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Microsorex hoyi washingtoni | | R | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Myotis lucifugus carissima | | | C | C | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
lucifugus alascensis | A | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
yumanensis sociabilis | | | C | C | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
yumanensis saturatus | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
keenii keenii | R | | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
evotis evotis | | R | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
evotis pacificus | R | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
thysanodes thysanodes | | | | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
volans longicrus | C | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
volans interior | | C | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
californicus californicus | | | R | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
californicus caurinus | A | C | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
subulatus melanorhinus | | | R | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Lasionycteris noctivagans | A | A | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Corynorhinus rafinesquii townsendii | R | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
rafinesquii intermedius | | R | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Pipistrellus hesperus hesperus | | | | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Eptesicus fuscus bernardinus | A | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Lasiurus cinereus cinereus | R | R | R | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Antrozous pallidus cantwelli | | | R | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Ursus americanus altifrontalis | A | C | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
americanus cinnamomum | | A | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
chelan | | | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Procyon lotor psora | A | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
lotor excelsus | | R | R | C | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Martes caurina caurina | | | | | A | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
caurina origenes | | | | | A | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
pennanti | R | | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Mustela erminea invicta | | C | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
erminea gulosa | | | | | C | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
erminea murica | | R | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
erminea fallenda | R | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
erminea streatori | R | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
erminea olympica | R | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
frenata nevadensis | | C | C | C | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
frenata effera | | A | C | C | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
frenata washingtoni | | | | | C | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
frenata altifrontalis | A | | | | C | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
vison energumenos | C | C | C | C | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Gulo luscus luteus | | | | R | R | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Lutra canadensis pacifica | C | R | R | R | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Spilogale gracilis saxatilis | | | R | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
gracilis latifrons | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Mephitis mephitis hudsonica | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
mephitis major | | | R | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
mephitis notata | | C | R | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
mephitis spissigrada | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Taxidea taxus taxus | | C | C | C | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Vulpes fulva cascadensis | | | | | | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Canis latrans lestes | C | A | A | A | C | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
latrans incolatus | | A | C | C | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
lupus fuscus | R | R | R?| | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Felis concolor missoulensis | | C | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
concolor oregonensis | C | C | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Lynx canadensis | | | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
rufus fasciatus | A | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
rufus pallescens | | A | C | C | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Tamias minimus scrutator | | | | C | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
minimus grisescens | | | | R | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
amoenus caurinus | | | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
amoenus felix | | | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
amoenus ludibundus | | | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
amoenus affinis | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
amoenus canicaudus | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
amoenus luteiventris | | C | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
ruficaudus simulans | | C | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
townsendii townsendii | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
townsendii cooperi | | C | | | A | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Marmota monax petrensis | | | | | R |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
flaviventris avara | | R | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
caligata cascadensis | | | | | R | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
olympus | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Citellus townsendii townsendii | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
washingtoni | | | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
columbianus columbianus | | A | C | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
columbianus ruficaudus | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
beecheyi douglasii | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
lateralis tescorum | | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
lateralis connectens | | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
saturatus | | C | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus richardsoni | | A | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
hudsonicus streatori | | A | | | A | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
douglasii douglasii | A | A | | | A | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Sciurus griseus griseus | C | C | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Glaucomys sabrinus oregonensis | C | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
sabrinus fuliginosus | | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
sabrinus columbiensis | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
sabrinus latipes | | A | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
sabrinus bangsi | | R | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Perognathus parvus parvus | | | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
parvus lordi | | | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
parvus columbianus | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Dipodomys ordii columbianus | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Thomomys talpoides devexus | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides columbianus | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides aequalidens | | | A | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides wallowa | | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides fuscus | | A | C | R | C | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides yakimensis | | | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides shawi | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides immunis | | | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides limosus | | C | A | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides douglasii | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides glacialis | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides tacomensis | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides pugetensis | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides tumuli | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides yelmensis | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides couchi | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
talpoides melanops | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Castor canadensis leucodonta | A | A | | C | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
canadensis idoneus | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Onychomys leucogaster fuscogriseus | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Reithrodontomys megalotis megalotis | | | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Peromyscus maniculatus oreas | A | | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
maniculatus hollisteri | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
maniculatus austerus | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
maniculatus rubidus | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
maniculatus gambelii | | C | R | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
maniculatus artemisiae | | A | R | R | C | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Neotoma cinerea occidentalis | | C | R | A | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
cinerea alticola | | C | | | A | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Synaptomys borealis wrangeli | | | | | | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Phenacomys intermedius intermedius | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
intermedius oramontis | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Clethrionomys gapperi saturatus | | R | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
gapperi idahoensis | | R | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
gapperi nivarius | | | | | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
californicus occidentalis | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Microtus pennsylvanicus funebris | | A | R | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
pennsylvanicus kincaidi | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
montanus nanus | | | A | C | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
montanus canescens | | C | A | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
townsendii townsendii | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
townsendii pugeti | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
longicaudus halli | | A | C | C | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
longicaudus macrurus | R | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
richardsoni arvicoloides | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
richardsoni macropus | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
oregoni oregoni | A | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Ondatra zibethicus osoyoosensis | A | A | | C | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
zibethicus occipitalis | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Zapus princeps oregonus | | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
princeps kootenayensis | | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
princeps idahoensis | | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
princeps trinotatus | A | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Aplodontia rufa rufa | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
rufa rainieri | | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Erethizon dorsatum epixanthum | | A | R | C | A | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
dorsatum nigrescens | | A | R | C | A | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Ochotona princeps cuppes | | | | | | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
princeps fenisex | | | | | | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
orinceps brunnescens | | | | | C | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Lepus townsendii townsendii | | | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
californicus deserticola | | | C | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
americanus washingtonii | A | | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
americanus cascadensis | | C | | | A | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
americanus pineus | | C | | | A | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
americanus columbiensis | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Sylvilagus nuttallii nuttallii | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
idahoensis | | | | A | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Cervus canadensis roosevelti | A | | | | A | R
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
canadensis nelsoni | | C | | | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Odocoileus virginianus leucurus | A | | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
virginianus ochrourus | | A | | | |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
hemionus hemionus | | A | | | A | C
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
hemionus columbianus | A | | | | C |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Ovis canadensis canadensis | | A | A | A | A | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
canadensis californiana | | A | A | A | A |
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
Oreamnos americanus americanus | | | | | | A
-------------------------------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---
GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF WASHINGTON
The composition of the mammalian fauna of any area is dependent on
several factors. These include the composition of the original fauna,
species which have since invaded the area, and quantitative and
qualitative changes that have occurred in the area. The latter two
factors refer to changes in relative numbers or extermination of species
through environmental changes or competition with other forms and
evolutionary changes that have occurred in the species making up the
mammalian fauna.