Copper Canyon, Magdalena Mts.; Mimbres Mts., near Kingston. CHIHUAHUA:
Guadalupe y Calvo. ARIZONA: Huachuca Mts.; Santa Catalina Mts.; White
River, Horseshoe Cienega, 8300 ft., White Mts.; San Francisco Mtn.
=Sorex vagrans orizabae= Merriam
_Sorex orizabae_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:71, December 31,
1895.
_Sorex vagrans orizabae_, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:113,
July 24, 1928.
_Type._--Adult female, skin and skull; No. 53633, U. S. Biol. Surv.
Coll.; obtained on April 24, 1893, by E. W. Nelson from W slope of Mt.
Orizaba, 9,500 ft., Puebla.
_Range._--Transverse volcanic belt of mountains at the southern end of
the Mexican Plateau.
_Diagnosis._--Size small for the species; measurements of 3 specimens
from Volcan Toluca, Mexico, are: total length, 98, 100, 108; tail, 35,
39, 40; hind foot, 13, 13, 14. Summer pelage Mummy Brown tending
toward Olive Brown; Fuscous to Fuscous-Black in winter; skull and
teeth relatively narrow.
_Comparisons._--For comparison with _S. v. monticola_ see account of
that subspecies.
_Remarks._--The range of _S. v. orizabae_ probably is not now in
contact with that of any other subspecies of _S. vagrans_, although
judging by the slight degree of difference between _orizabae_ and
_monticola_ the separation between the two has not been of great
duration.
_Sorex vagrans orizabae_ occurs with _S. saussurei saussurei_
throughout the transverse volcanic belt.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 23.
MICHOACAN: Patamban, 1 BS; Nahuatzin, 3 BS; Mt. Tancitaro, 4 BS.
MEXICO: Salazar, 2 BS, 1 KU; Volcan de Toluca, 3 BS.
TLAXCALA: Mt. Malinche, 2 BS.
PUEBLA: Mt. Orizaba, 6 BS.
VERACRUZ: Cofre de Perote, 1 BS.
_Marginal records._--MICHOACAN: _Patamban_. VERACRUZ: Cofre de Perote.
PUEBLA: _Mt. Orizaba_. MICHOACAN: Mt. Tancitaro.
=Sorex vagrans vagrans= Baird
_Sorex vagrans_ Baird, Rep't Pacific R. R. Survey 8: pt. 1,
Mammals, p. 15, July 14, 1858.
_Sorex suckleyi_ Baird, Rep't Pacific R. R. Survey 8: pt. 1,
Mammals, p. 18, July 14, 1858, type from Steilacoom, Pierce
Co., Washington.
_Sorex dobsoni_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 5:33, July 30, 1891,
type from Alturas or Sawtooth Lake, altitude about 7200 ft., E
base Sawtooth Mts., Blaine Co., Idaho.
_Sorex amoenus_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:69, December 31,
1895, type from near Mammoth, 8000 ft., head Owens River, E
slope Sierra Nevada, Mono Co., California.
_Sorex nevadensis_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 10:71, December
31, 1895, type from Reese River, 6000 ft., Nye-Lander Co.
line, Nevada.
_Sorex shastensis_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 16:87, October 28,
1899, type from Wagon Camp, Mt. Shasta, 5700 ft., Siskiyou
Co., California.
_Type._--Adult male, alcoholic; No. 1675, U. S. Nat. Mus.; obtained at
Shoalwater (Willapa) Bay, Pacific Co., Washington; received from J. G.
Cooper, and entered in Museum catalog on October 23, 1856.
_Range._--The Great Basin, and Columbia Plateau west across the
mountains to the Pacific coast of northern California, Oregon,
Washington and southwestern British Columbia.
_Diagnosis._--Size small for the species; average and extreme
measurements of 8 topotypes are: total length, 104.1 (99-109); tail,
43.3 (42-45); hind foot, 12.9 (12-14). Summer pelage ranging from
(15'_k_) Cinnamon Brown through (15'_m_) Proutt's Brown to (17'_m_)
Mummy Brown. Winter pelage (13''''_m_) Fuscous Black to (17''''_m_)
Chaetura Black.
_Comparisons._--For comparison with _S. v. monticola_ see account of
that subspecies. Differs from _S. v. halicoetes_ in relatively
narrower and more attenuate rostrum and in less brownish underparts in
winter pelage; smaller and more brownish (less grayish) than _Sorex
vagrans_ from the southern Sierra Nevada.
[Illustration: FIG. 18. Probable geographic ranges of _Sorex
vagrans vagrans_, its derivative subspecies, and _S. v.
mixtus_.
1. _S. v. vancouverensis_
2. _S. v. vagrans_
3. _S. v. halicoetes_
4. _S. v. paludivagus_
5. _S. v. obscuroides_
6. _S. v. mixtus_
]
_Remarks._--Restriction of the range of _S. v. monticola_ to Arizona
and New Mexico leaves shrews that were formerly assigned to this
subspecies from Utah, Idaho, Washington and southern British Columbia
unassigned. Several names are available for consideration. The name
_Sorex vagrans dobsoni_ Merriam, 1891, type locality Alturas Lake,
Blaine Co., Idaho, was once applied to small shrews from Idaho,
Montana, Wyoming, and Utah, but was considered by Jackson to be
synonymous with _S. v. monticola_. The name _Sorex vagrans amoenus_
Merriam, 1895, type locality near Mammoth, Mono Co., California, has
been applied to wandering shrews from western Nevada, northeastern
California and southern Oregon. _Sorex vagrans nevadensis_ Merriam,
1895, type locality Reese River on Nye-Lander Co. line, Nevada was
considered by Hall (1946:119) to be synonymous with _S. v. amoenus_.
Specimens of _Sorex vagrans_ west of the Cascade Mountains have long
been referred to the nominate subspecies which has its type locality
at Willapa Bay, Pacific Co., Washington. Over so wide an area it is
only to be expected that some geographic variation is to be found.
Thus specimens from central Nevada average slightly paler in summer
pelage than those from the Pacific Coast or from the foothills of the
Rocky Mountains. In addition there are slight average differences in
size from place to place. Topotypes of _S. v. vagrans_, however, show
a fair degree of variability and some are nearly as pale as the paler
Great Basin stocks. Furthermore topotypical individuals of _vagrans_
can be lost in series of _S. v. amoenus_, although _amoenus_ is
shorter-tailed on the average. Specimens from the western foothills
of the Rocky Mountains show an amazing series of relationships with
the montane _S. v. obscurus_. In Utah, as previously pointed out,
complete intergradation occurs. At 1 mi. N Heath, Washington Co.,
Idaho, the lowland and the highland forms approach each other within a
short distance and still maintain a degree of distinctness, especially
in size. In northwestern Montana intergradation is extensive
(Clothier, 1950). In northeastern Washington distinctly separable
populations occur within a few miles of one another. In southern
British Columbia some populations are clearly intergrades while at 6
mi. S Yahk intergradation seemingly has not taken place. Where some
intergradation has occurred the result often has been increased size
of the lowland shrews, although they usually retain the reddish summer
pelage rather than acquiring the more grayish pelage of _obscurus_.
The name _dobsoni_ was based upon shrews from a place where lowland
and highland forms occur almost together with only a slight amount of
intergradation. Examples of "_dobsoni_" may not with certainty be
distinguished from typical _vagrans_ except that they are, as Merriam
(1895:68-69) points out, somewhat larger. Merriam (_loc. cit._)
further notes that _dobsoni_ is "intermediate in size and cranial
characters between _S. vagrans_ and _obscurus_;" a statement which
hits very close to the heart of the matter. I consider the name
_dobsoni_ to apply to intergrades. To attempt to apply the name to the
highly variable populations of intergrades from British Columbia to
southern Idaho seems inadvisable. I have examined the possibility of
using the name _amoenus_ for the animals from this region. The
characters which set _amoenus_ apart from _vagrans_, slightly shorter
tail and slightly darker summer pelage, however, are not universally
found in shrews from the Columbian Plateau and eastern Great Basin and
furthermore these differences between _amoenus_ and _vagrans_ do not
seem to me to be of great enough magnitude to warrant subspecific
recognition of the former. Thus the name _S. v. vagrans_ may apply to
shrews in the region under consideration. The subspecies, as thus
thought of, embraces several incipient subspecies, namely (1) the
populations on the isolated mountain ranges of Nevada, (2) the coastal
rain forest population and possibly (3) the population on the
Columbian Plateau.
In western British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon no evidences of
intergradation between _S. v. vagrans_ and the races _setosus_,
_permiliensis_, _bairdi_, _yaquinae_, or _pacificus_ are seen. In this
region _S. v. vagrans_ occurs sympatrically with one or the other of
these subspecies. Different degrees of differentiation thus obtain
between the subspecies _vagrans_ as here defined and the surrounding
subspecies of _Sorex vagrans_ to wit: complete intergradation and
allopatry in Utah with _S. v. obscurus_; partial intergradation and
partial sympatry with _S. v. obscurus_ in the foothill region from
Idaho to British Columbia; no intergradation and complete sympatry
with all the other races of _Sorex vagrans_ from the Cascades to the
coast and south to San Francisco Bay. The relationship of _S. v.
vagrans_ to the wandering shrews of the high Sierra is discussed on
page 58.
Throughout most of the Great Basin and Columbian Plateau _Sorex
vagrans_ is, with the exception of the rare _S. merriami_ and _S.
preblei_, the only small shrew. In the Cascades and in the coastal
lowlands it is the only small shrew except for _S. cinereus_ and _S.
trigonirostris_, both extremely rare and local in this region. _S.
vagrans_ seemingly competes to a certain extent with the larger _S.
trowbridgii_ in western Washington and seems to be partially dominant
to _trowbridgii_, at least in marshy habitats (Dalquest, 1941:171).
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 1197.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: _Osoyoos District_: Okanagan, 20 PMBC; Okanagan
Landing, 2 PMBC; Nahun Plateau, 2 PMBC. _Vancouver District_:
Vancouver, 2 PMBC. _New Westminister District_: Port Moody, 16 BS;
Westminster Jct., 4 AMNH; Langley, 1 BS; Vedder Crossing, 1 PMBC;
Huntingdon, 69 NMC; Sumas, 16 BS; Cultus Lake, 1 NMC. _Similkameen
District_: Princeton, 6 Mile Creek, 1 NMC. Hedley, Stirling Creek,
7 NMC; Fairview-Keremeos Summit, 5 NMC; Oliver, 1 NMC; Westbridge,
6 NMC; Osoyoos, 1 PMBC; Osoyoos-Bridesville Summit, 4 NMC; Cascade,
7 NMC. _Nelson District_: Kuskonook, 1 PMBC; Rossland, 14 NMC; Trail,
2 NMC; Creston, 4 PMBC, 4 NMC; near Creston, 7 NMC. _Cranbrook
District_: Cranbrook, 5 BS; Yahk, 2 NMC; Yahk Camp 6, 2 NMC; Goatfell,
2 NMC. _Fernie District_: Newgate, 3 NMC.
WASHINGTON: _Whatcom Co._: Blaine, 1 BS; Beaver Creek, 5 WSC; Glacier,
1 BS; Mt. Baker Lodge, 1 WSC; Lake Whatcom, 1 BS; Barron, 2 BS.
_Okanogan Co._: Sheep Mtn., 3 BS; E. end Bauerman Ridge, 1 BS;
Oroville, 1 BS; Hidden Lakes, 1 BS; Loomis, 1 BS; Conconully, 1 BS;
Twisp, 1 BS. _Ferry Co._: 5 mi. W Curlew, 2 BS. _Stevens Co._: Marcus,
1 BS. _Pend Oreille Co._: Canyon, 1 WSC; Metaline, 2 BS; Sullivan
Lake, 1 BS. _San Juan Co._: East Sound, Orcas Island, 3 BS; Friday
Harbor, San Juan Island, 1 BS; San Juan Park, 2 WSC; Blakely Island,
1 KU; Richardson, 6 BS. _Skagit Co._: Cypress Island, 1 KU; Hamilton,
1 BS; Sauk, 1 BS; Avon, 3 BS; Mt. Vernon, 2 BS; La Conner, 5 BS.
_Island Co._: San de Fuca, Whidby Island, 3 BS; Greenbank, Whidby
Island, 2 BS; 3 mi. N Clinton, Whidby Island, 1 BS. _Snohomish Co._:
Oso, 2 BS; Hermosa Point, Tulalip Indian Reservation, 7 mi. W and 1/2
mi. N Marysville, 3 KU. _Chelan Co._: Entiat, 2 BS. _Lincoln Co._:
6 mi. E Odessa, 4 BS. _Spokane Co._: Marshall, 7 BS. _Clallam Co._:
Neah Bay, 29 BS; 8 mi. W Sekin River, 1 WSC; mouth Sekin River, 1 WSC;
Dungeness, 1 BS; Port Townsend, 3 BS; Ozette Indian Reservation,
1 CMNH; Sequim, 4 BS; Tivoli Island, Ozette Lake, 1 CMNH; Garden Island,
Ozette Lake, 3 CMNH; Elwah, 1 WSC; Blyn, 1 BS; Soleduck River, 1 BS;
12 mi. S Port Angeles, 1 WSC; Forks, 9 CMNH, 1 BS; Cat Creek, 1 WSC;
Lapush, 5 BS. _Jefferson Co._: Jefferson Ranger Station, N Fork Hoh
River, 5 CMNH; Duckabush, 6 BS. _Kitsap Co._: Vashon Island, 2 BS.
_King Co._: Redmont, 2 BS; Kirkland, 20 BS; Seattle, 1 WSC, 3 KU;
Northbend, 2 BS: Lake Washington, near Renton, 2 BS; Kent, 1 BS;
Enumclaw, 1 BS. _Grays Harbor Co._: Lake Quinault, 9 BS; Aberdeen,
20 BS; Westport, 5 BS, 2 WSC; Oakville, 1 BS. _Mason Co._: Lake Cushman,
11 BS; Hoodsport, 1 BS; North Fork Skokomish River, 1 BS; Shelton,
2 BS. _Pierce Co._: Puyallup, 6 BS; Steilacoom, 1 BS; 6 mi. S Tacoma,
2 BS; Roy, 3 BS; Bear Prairie, Mt. Rainier, 1 BS; Reflection Lake, Mt.
Rainier, 1 WSC. _Kittitas Co._: Blewett Pass, 3 BS; Easton, 3 BS;
2 mi. E Cle Elum, 4 FC; Ellensburg, 2 BS. _Grant Co._: Moses Lake, 1 BS;
9 mi. S and 1 mi. W Neppel, 1 UM. _Whitman Co._: Hangman Creek, Tekoa,
1 WSC; 4 mi. ENE Pullman, 1 KU; 2 mi. N Pullman, 2 WSC; 2 mi. NW
Pullman, 1 WSC; 2 mi. W Pullman, 1 WSC; Pullman, 5 WSC; Armstrong,
1 WSC; 5 mi. NE Wawawai, 1 BS; Wawawai, 5 WSC. _Thurston Co._: Nisqually
Flats, 2 BS; Nisqually, 1 BS; 4 mi. S Olympia, 1 BS; Tenino, 4 BS.
_Pacific Co._: Tokeland, 4 BS; 1 mi. S Nemah, 2 FC; 1 mi. N Bear
River, Willapa Bay, 8 FC; 1/4 mi. N Bear River, 3 FC; 3-1/2 mi. E Seaview,
6 FC; Ilwaco, 1 BS. _Lewis Co._: 8 mi. W Chehallis, 2 BS; Chehallis,
2 BS; Toledo, 1 BS. _Yakima Co._: Selah, 7 KU; Wiley City, 4 BS.
_Wahkiakum Co._: Cathlamet, 1 BS. _Skamania Co._: 45 mi. SE Toledo,
2 BS; Carson, 1 BS; Stevenson, 1 BS; 15 mi. NW White Salmon, 1 BS.
_Klickitat Co._: Trout Lake, 15 mi. S Mt. Adams, 2 BS; 15 mi. N
Goldendale, 1 WSC; Goldendale, 1 BS. _Walla Walla Co._: College Place,
1 KU. _Columbia Co._: Starbuck, 3 BS. _Garfield Co._: 1 mi. E Pomeroy,
1 SGJ. _Asotin Co._: 21 mi. SE Dayton, 1 BS; Rogersburg, 1 BS.
IDAHO: _Bonner Co._: 4 mi. S Sandpoint, 1 UM. _Kootenai Co._: Coeur
d'Alene, 2 BS. _Shoshone Co._: Osburry, 1 BS; Mullan, 2 BS. _Latah
Co._: Felton's Mills, 1 WSC; Cedar Mtn., 5 WSC. _Lewis Co._: Nezperce,
2 BS. _Idaho Co._: Seven Devils Mtn., 1 BS. _Adams Co._: Summit of
Smith Mtn., 7500 ft., 5 KU; New Meadows, 1 BS; Tamarack, 1 BS.
_Washington Co._: 1 mi. NE Heath, SW slope Cuddy Mtn., 4000 ft., 7 KU.
_Boise Co._: Bald Mtn. R. S., 10 mi. S Idaho City, 1 BS. _Elmore Co._:
Cayuse Creek, 10 mi. N Featherville, 1 BS. _Canyon Co._: Nampa, 5 BS.
_Blaine Co._: Sawtooth City, 5 BS; Alturas Lake, 1 BS. _Bonneville
Co._: 10 mi. SE Irwin, 5 BS. _Bannock Co._: Pocatello, 1 BS, 1 KU;
1 mi. W Bancroft, 1 KU; Swan Lake, 1 BS. _Owyhee Co._: Grasmere, 1 SGJ.
_Cassia Co._: 10 mi. S Albion, Mt. Harrison, 1 BS.
MONTANA: _Sanders Co._: Prospect Creek, near Thomson Falls, 4 BS.
_Lake Co._: Flathead Lake, 5 BS. _Ravalli Co._: Bass Creek, NW
Stevensville, 2 BS; 2 mi. NE Stevensville, 1 UM; Corvallis, 4 BS;
6 mi. E Hamilton, 1 KU.
OREGON: _Clatsop Co._: Seaside, 1 BS. _Washington Co._: 5 mi. SE
Hillsboro, 1 BS; Beaverton, 1 BS. _Multnomah Co._: Portland, 20 BS;
Portland, Switzler Lake, 5 BS. _Hood River Co._: 2 mi. W Parkdale,
1 BS; north slope Mt. Hood, 2 BS. _Umatilla Co._: 10 mi. W Meacham,
2 BS; Meacham, 3 BS. _Union Co._: Elgin, 2 BS; Kamela, 2 BS; Hot Lake,
2 BS. _Wallowa Co._: 25 mi. N. Enterprise, 4 BS; Wallowa Lake, 23 BS;
S Wallowa Lake, 1 BS. _Clackamas Co._: Estacada, 1 KU. _Marion Co._:
Salem, 8 BS; Permilia Lake, 2 BS. _Benton Co._: Corvallis, 2 BS; 5 mi.
SW Philomath, 5 BS. _Linn Co._: Shelburn, 1 BS. _Jefferson Co._: 20
mi. W Warm Springs, 2 BS. _Grant Co._: Beech Creek, 6 BS; Austin,
1 BS; Strawberry Butte, 1 BS; Strawberry Mts., 12 BS. _Baker Co._:
Homestead, 1 BS; Cornucopia, 11 BS; Rock Creek, 1 BS; Bourne, 7 BS;
McEwen, 1 BS; Huntington, 1 BS; Anthony, 42 AMNH. _Lane Co._: north
slope Three Sisters, 3 BS; Vida, 1 BS; Mapleton, 1 BS; Eugene, 2 BS;
10 mi. S McKenzie Bridge, 1 BS; Florence, 1 BS. _Deschutes Co._:
Paulina Lake, 7 BS; Lapine, 8 BS. _Crook Co._: 1 SGJ. _Douglas Co._:
Winchester Bay, 1 SGJ; Scottsburg, 3 BS; Drain, 5 BS; Lookingglass,
1 BS; Diamond Lake, 6 BS. _Coos Co._: Empire, 5 BS. _Curry Co._: Port
Orford, 1 BS; Gold Beach, 4 BS. _Klamath Co._: Anna Creek, Mt. Mazama,
1 BS; Crater Lake, 14 BS; Upper Klamath Marsh, 2 BS; Ft. Klamath,
35 BS; Klamath Falls, 6 BS. _Lake Co._: 10 mi. SW Silver Lake, 3 BS;
west fork Silver Creek, Yamsay Mts., 4 BS; Plush, 1 BS; Warner Creek,
Warner Mts., 1 BS; Warner Mts., 3 BS; Gearhart Mts., 17 SGJ; _Harney
Co._: Diamond, 2 BS; Keiger Gorge, Steens Mts., 3 BS. _Malheur Co._:
8 mi. W Jordon Valley, 1 BS.
WYOMING: _Lincoln Co._: 13 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton, 6 KU; 10 mi. N
Afton, Salt River, 2 BS; 9 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton, 6 KU; 7 mi. N and
1 mi. W Afton, 4 KU; Cokeville, 1 BS; 12 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage, 2 KU;
6 mi. N and 2 mi. E Sage, 1 KU.
CALIFORNIA: _Del Norte Co._: Smith River, 2 BS; Crescent City, 20 BS.
_Siskiyou Co._: Beswick, 1 BS; Hornbrook, 3 BS; Brownell, Klamath
Lake, 1 BS; Mayten, 2 BS; Squaw Creek, Mt. Shasta, 5 BS; Upper Ash
Creek, Mt. Shasta, 1 BS; upper Mud Creek, Mt. Shasta, 8 BS; Wagon
Camp, Mt. Shasta, 5 BS; Warmcastle Soda Springs, Squaw Creek Valley, 2
BS; Sisson, 7 BS. _Modoc Co._: Davis Creek, Goose Lake, 1 BS.
_Humboldt Co._: _Humboldt Bay_, 10 BS. _Trinity Co._: Canyon Creek, 2
BS. _Shasta Co._: Fort Crook, 11 BS; Dana, 17 BS; Fall Lake, Fall
River Valley, 3 BS; Cassel, 2 BS; 12 mi. E Burney, 1 BS; Lassen Peak,
13 BS; Kellys, Warner Creek, 1 KU; Drakes Hot Springs, Warner Creek, 2
BS. _Mendocino Co._: Russian Gulch State Park, 2 FC. _Plumas Co._: 12
mi. NE Prattville, 2 BS; Spring Garden Ranch, Grizzly Mts., 3 BS;
Sierra Valley, 1 BS. _Sierra Co._: Lincoln Creek, 1 BS. _Sonoma Co._:
Petaluma, 3 BS; Point Reyes, 7 BS. _Placer Co._: Donner, 3 BS. _El
Dorado Co._: Tallac, 3 BS. _Mono Co._: Mt. Conness, 1 BS; Mono Lake, 1
BS; near Mammoth, 8000 ft., head of Owens River, 2 BS. _Inyo Co._:
Alvord, 1 BS.
NEVADA: _Elko Co._: Mountain City, 1 BS; Three Lakes, 1 KU; west side
Ruby Lake, 3 mi. N White Pine Co. line, 8 KU; Ruby Mts., 9 BS; W side
Ruby Lake, 3 BS. _White Pine Co._: W side Ruby Lake, 3 mi. S Elko Co.
line, 1 KU. _Nye Co._: Cloverdale, Reese River, 3 BS.
UTAH: _Weber Co._: Beaver Creek, S Fork Ogden River, 2 UU; Huntsville,
10 mi. E Ogden, 1 UU; Hooper Bay Refuge, 4200 ft., 1 UU; Riverdale,
4200 ft., 3 UU; Riverdale, 4250 ft., 1 UU; 3 mi. SE Ogden, 2 UU; Snow
Basin, 2 UU; Snow Basin, S part Wheeler Canyon, 1 UU; Uinta, 2 mi. W
Weber Canyon entrance, 4 UU; 2 mi. W Uinta, 1 UU. _Salt Lake Co._:
City Creek Canyon, 6 mi. NE Salt Lake City, 4700 ft., 2 UU; 1 mi. up
City Creek Canyon, 4600 ft., 1 UU; 3/4 mi. above Forks, City Creek
Canyon, 1 UU; The Firs, Millcreek Canyon, 1 UU; Olympus Water Box, 1
UU; Salamander Lake, Lamb's Canyon, 9000 ft., 3 UU (near _obscurus_);
Salt Lake City, 7500 ft., 1 UU; 1 mi. W Draper, 4500 ft., 6 UU;
Draper, 4500 ft., 5 UU; 1-1/2 mi. SW Draper, 4500 ft., 1 UU; 3 mi. SW
Draper, 4400 ft., 2 UU; 3 mi. S Draper, 4400 ft., 2 UU; 1 mi. S
Draper, 4500 ft., 1 UU. _Juab Co._: W side Deep Creek Mts., Queen of
Sheba Canyon, 8000 ft., 3 UU. _Wasatch Co._: Midway Fish Hatchery,
5450 ft., 1 UU.
_Marginal records._--BRITISH COLUMBIA: Okanagan; Westbridge;
Kuskonook; Cranbrook. MONTANA: Flathead Lake; 6 mi. E Hamilton;
Prospect Creek. IDAHO: Cedar Mtn.; New Meadows; Alturas Lake; 10 mi.
SE Irwin. WYOMING: 13 mi. N and 2 mi. W Afton; 6 mi. N and 2 mi. E
Sage. IDAHO: 1 mi. W Bancroft; Swan Lake. UTAH: Beaver Creek, South
Fork, Ogden River; Midway Fish Hatchery; west side Deep Creek Mts.,
Queen of Sheba Canyon, 8000 ft. NEVADA: Baker Creek (Hall, 1946:120);
Reese River (_ibid._); 2 mi. S Hinds Hot Springs (_ibid._).
CALIFORNIA: Mono Lake (Jackson, 1928:110); near Mammoth; Alvord; Mount
Conness; Donner; Buck Ranch (Jackson, 1928:110); Warner Creek, Drake
Hot Springs (_ibid._); Canyon Creek; Cuddeback (Jackson, 1928:105);
Novato Point (_ibid._), thence northward along the coast to
WASHINGTON: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. BRITISH COLUMBIA: Port
Moody.
=Sorex vagrans obscuroides= new subspecies
_Type._--First year female, skin and skull; No. 30064/42074, U. S.
Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on August 9, 1891, by Frank Stephens from
Bishop Creek, 6600 ft., Inyo Co., California, original no. 811.
_Range._--The Sierra Nevada of California, north at least to El Dorado
County, intergrading northerly with _S. v. vagrans_.
_Diagnosis._--Size medium for the species; average and extreme
measurements of 5 topotypes are: total length, 107 (103-112); tail, 47
(45-50); hind foot, 12.8 (12-13.5). Skull relatively broad
interorbitally; color of dorsum in summer pelage nearest (17'''_k_)
Olive Brown.
_Comparisons._--Differs from _S. v. vagrans_, with which it
intergrades to the north, in: longer tail and total length; skull
larger and relatively broader interorbitally; color in summer grayer
(less reddish), the lighter subterminal color bands of the hair often
showing through the darker tips and imparting a grizzled appearance to
the dorsum. Differs from _S. v. parvidens_ to the south in: skull
relatively broader interorbitally and less flattened; teeth slightly
larger.
_Remarks._--_S. v. obscuroides_ has long been called _S. v. obscurus_.
In fact, _obscuroides_ is separated from the range of _obscurus_ by
the intervening, smaller subspecies _S. v. vagrans_. _S. v.
obscuroides_ resembles _S. v. obscurus_ in color and size but the
skull is smaller, although relatively slightly broader. The
resemblance in color is possibly due to the fact that _obscuroides_,
like _obscurus_, is a high mountain form. _S. v. obscuroides_
intergrades with _S. v. vagrans_ along the crest of the Sierra between
Yosemite National Park and Lassen Peak and on the eastern slope of the
Sierra from approximately Mammoth northward. Specimens from Donner are
intergrades but are closest to _S. v. vagrans_. Although all specimens
from Lassen Peak are referable to _S. v. vagrans_, some show cranial
characters of _obscuroides_.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 76. CALIFORNIA: _Mono Co._: Mt.
Dana, 6 BS; Mt. Lyell, 11 BS. _Mariposa Co._: Tuolumne Meadows, Muir
Meadow, 9300 ft., 1 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Mt. Unicorn, 1 BS; Tuolumne
Meadows, N base Mt. Lyell, 8 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Soda Springs, 4 BS;
Lake Tenaya, 5 BS. _Madera Co._: San Joaquin River, 8000 ft., 4 BS.
_Fresno Co._: Horse Corral Meadows, 3 BS. _Mono Co._: head of Owens
River near Mammoth, 2 BS. _Inyo Co._: Bishop Creek, 5 BS; Round
Valley, 1 BS. _Tulare Co._: E. Fork Kaweah River, 7 BS; Mt. Whitney, 5
BS; Whitney Creek, Mt. Whitney, 4 ChM; Whitney Meadows, 9700 ft., 1
BS; Mineralking, 2 BS; N. Fork Kern River, 9600 ft., 1 BS; S. Fork
Kern River, 4 BS; Kern Lakes, 1 BS.
_Marginal records._--CALIFORNIA: Pyramid Peak; near Mammoth; _Round
Valley_; Bishop Creek; Mt. Whitney; Kern Lakes; Halstead Meadows;
Horse Corral Meadows; east fork Indian Canyon (Jackson, 1928:121).
=Sorex vagrans parvidens= Jackson
_Sorex obscurus parvidens_ Jackson, Jour. Mamm., 2:161, August
19, 1921.
_Type._--Adult male, skin and skull; No. 56561, U. S. Biol. Surv.
Coll.; obtained on October 3, 1893, by J. E. McLellan from Thurmans
Camp, Bluff Lake, 7500 ft., San Bernardino Mts., California.
_Range._--Confined, so far as known, to the San Bernardino and San
Gabriel mountains, San Bernardino Co., California.
_Diagnosis._--Size medium for the species; measurements of two
specimens from the San Bernardino Mountains are: total length, 105,
106; tail, 41, 48; hind foot, 12, 14. Upper parts in summer
Olive-Brown to Buffy-Brown; cranium flattened and relatively narrow;
unicuspids and incisors relatively small.
_Comparisons._--For comparison with _S. v. obscuroides_, the only
adjacent subspecies, see the account of that subspecies.
_Remarks._--_S. v. parvidens_ is seemingly an uncommon mammal. I have
been informed by Terry Vaughan that repeated attempts by him to obtain
it in suitable habitat in the San Gabriel Mountains failed. This shrew
is probably no longer in reproductive continuity with _Sorex vagrans_
of the Sierra Nevada.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 4. CALIFORNIA: _San Bernardino
Co._: type locality, 4 BS.
_Marginal records._--CALIFORNIA: Camp Baldy, San Antonio Canyon
(Jackson, 1928:124); type locality.
=Sorex vagrans halicoetes= Grinnell
_Sorex halicoetes_ Grinnell, Univ. California Publ. Zool.,
10:183, March 20, 1913.
_Sorex vagrans halicoetes_, Jackson, N. Amer. Fauna, 51:108,
July 24, 1928.